IN-GAME DATE = day 55 of the RAIN AND THAW season (I will abbreviate as R&T55): Io arrived Port Harbor with clutchmate, STERLING; decided to team up with a couple of guys we met on the ship -- a human ranger named BEORG, and an unusual teifling cleric called VERGIL. We registered ourselves as an adventuring group. Io blew all his money on a single cup of delicious StarBrew (thanks, TREENA -- as our barista, you coulda told me how expensive it was first...). Party looked for someplace to rent as a home/office, we were told "Gwen the Nearsighted" and/or "Weird Yellen" might have something for sale -- but we couldn't find either of them.

Sterling found us a flophouse for the night at The Speckled Coal: the owner, a dwarf-lady called TOODY, sez she is willing to hold a couple of rooms for us when we return from any trips we might take.

R&T56: accepted a commission to help old lady, CHARLEN, get her cart from Port Harbor to her claim -- a full day's ride out along a trail through the wilderness -- and protect her property for a few days. Ranger did a lot of scouting, Io did a lot of cart-pushing; spent the night camped in her "yard".

R&T57: woke up to a fight with 4 goblins (Io chopped two down, and Charlen nailed one good (crit hit) with her heavy crossbow!) -- they had 4gp worth in gold ore...

Io spent some time trying to pan for gold -- but he mostly tried using his shield as a really big pan, which didn't work at all -- then decided to stick a quipper with his javelin; combat with quipper swarm ensued (ouch)...

Charlen touched a bit of interesting porcelain found in the river -- and the excitement caused her to have a heart attack! As she died, she said to "find Lecketon"... we discovered the identification papers she carries were in magic-ese, and did not identify any next of kin to inherit her claim.

Since it was too late to travel, the party did some more panning, prepared body for travel, then slept in her cabin. Divvied up nuggets for 1.1gp-worth apiece.

R&T58: woke up to heavy rain -- miserable trip back to Port Harbor! Took body directly to temple of Cwamin; BROTHER ELY (of Cessor guild) did his duty as expected. Went to town hall to see if next of kin can be found. FILLNER LECKERTON owns a haberdashery in Port Harbor (and is from a "landed" family in Ambrosum...)

The two dragonborn looked for Gwen the Nearsighted at 'The Ravishing Barmaid', but wound up in a bar fight -- the berserker (CR 2, wa-ay over our 1st-level CR 1/2 power...) bouncers eventually knocked both dragonborn out!

Meanwhile, Beorg and Vergil had a nice chat with Weird Yellen at The Lost Duckling, got some terms for a rental (but not great terms).

Afterward, our teifling encountered another teifling, the frying-pan-wielding LIZDA, hiding from "The Hand" -- she's an escaped slave, supposedly owned by "followers of Fraithu" (although that seems doubtful); Vergil encountered some bad guys upstairs, but they weren't very tough. Took Lizda and one of the bodies to temple of Fraithu; and verified the baddies are *false* followers of Fraithu.

Ended session with both dragonborn K.O.'d at The Ravishing Barmaid; Beorg the ranger staying at Toody's flophouse for the night; and Vergil at the temple of Fraithu.

40XP awarded for goblins and another 45XP for quippers: 35XP for barfight -- plus 225XP for fighting the bouncers! Also, 50XP for RP'ing...

Io and Sterling MADE 2ND LEVEL, with 470XP each! Vergil level'd as well.

SESSION #3: (October 17th -- Dave Brown joined us for this one! -- but Damon was absent)

date was still R&T58 at start of session: Io and Sterling woke up at the Ravishing Barmaid shortly after the bar fight, paid a 5sp fine to a Bastalla "cop" (who had a scratched symbol of Fraithu, but that didn't mean anything to the dragonborn at the time...). The dragonborn then went back to the Speckled Coal, arrived at the same time Vergil came in with Lyzda: took care of her whilst Virgil completed midnight ceremony for Charlen.

R&T59: raining once again; while we were on the way to Leckerton's haberdashery, Lyzda identified the headquarters building of the "evil Hand" . The ranger split off and conducted surveillance while the rest of us proceeded -- he saw some comings and goings, noted some bad-guy persona.

Leckerton completed a puzzle-map using the shard we brought, then gave our (still-to-be named) guild 300gp to be on retainer -- and to search for a pass in the mountains to the west.

We went and found our ranger, who had followed a badguy from the "evil Hand" house. Sterling took Lyzda back to our rooms at the Speckled Coal, whilst we conducted a break-in to a warehouse that Beorg had observed the badguy enter. Beorg and Io entered very stealthily -- but then Vergil slammed the door behind him (rolled a nat '1' on stealth)! Combat ensued, with Io knocking out the badguy plus an imp that came out of nowhere, and deliberately killing a lemur from a velvet-lined box (it then disintegrated). We tried to preserve the imp for interrogation, but the teifling -- intent on disabling it by breaking its wings -- discovered it was a little more fragile than anticipated.

The crates in the warehouse appear to have been used to transport slaves. Beorg found a concealed door leading to the front room of the warehouse, where we found a deed granting some guy named VELLO INSTREEM ownership of a mine somewhere in the wilderness. We took the goon we captured ("GHAN") to the Bastalla at the temple of Fraithu: he had a corrupted symbol of Fraithu (so now Io knows about those, and realizes the "cop" he paid the fine to last night was a baddie). It turns out Ghan is a deputy harbor master -- aiding the smuggling of slaves for Vello. The Bastalla gave us permission to investigate Vello's house (basically a search warrant!). Before going to Vello's, we went back about our business of contacting Gwen at the Ravishing Barmaid -- but she doesn't have the time-of-day for anything less than a well-established guild, so we will probably take our business to Weird Yellan. Io almost scored a date with SHEMLA (or was it her twin, HEMLA?).

Vergil had to stay outside (due to the bar's "No Teifling" policy), and was attacked by a crossbow bolt from an alley across the street -- but a helpful gnome, SPONTALONEUS, assisted the teifling in defeating a 3rd-level caster from the "evil Hand", and a crossbow-wielding goon; the badguys were turned over to nearby constables.

It turns out the gnome is a skilled wilderness guide -- just the kind of guy we need for our wilderness trek to find Leckerton's mountain pass -- so Virgil invited Spontaloneus to join our guild right then and there.

We went to Vello's house to serve our "search warrant": Vello's butler claimed Vello departed the previous day for a recently acquired mine. The scullery maid fed Io some teifling stew; when she stonewalled the party's efforts to interrogate her, we arrested both servants and had 'em guide us upstairs -- where a bunch of imps and lemurs attacked us! Io bashed the maid's head into the wall to knock her out, but it killed her; the butler let out some kind of weird scream before dissolving into some kind of goo. We barely managed to defeat the demon-spawn -- the ranger and the cleric went down during the battle. Io and Spontaloneus conducted a complete barracks inspection (ransack) -- we found 40gp worth of coins, and three potions of healing (two were promptly used to get the knocked-out party members back on their feet).

Vello's basement was a disgusting abattoir-death-camp-horror scene, with obvious signs of teifling being bled and murdered. Also, the floorboards were so rotted that the house's structure is dangerously compromised...

Vergil went back to report the demonic scene to Bastalla, but as he approached the "precinct house" he saw the 3rd-level badguy that waylaid him earlier being escorted and released by a Bastalla "cop"!

XP awards = 328XP, plus a little more for Vergil and Spontaloneus after their battle in the alley. (Io now has 798XP)

still R&T59: Sterling had taken Lyzda back to The Speckled Coal whilst the party investigated Instreem's house; it turns out some of Lyzda's friends showed up, used some kind of knock-out powder on Sterling when he answered the door; then they woke him up to explain they are "rescuing" her (from us?) and taking her to "someplace safe". She seemed agreeable, so maybe it's true. When the rest of us returned to the room, Vergil seemed surprisingly unhappy about the lady-teifling disappearing (surprising in that she introduced herself by smashing him in the face with a frying pan.)

Back at the Instreem house/abattoir, the authorities Vergil had gone to fetch in the middle of the night showed up and took over the crime-scene. Vergil reported sighting the badguy that attacked him earlier that day being escorted out of the Bastalla "precinct house" by what appeared to be a legit officer of the watch. Io noted the possibility (hope?) the ruffian was being taken out back for some non-judicial punishment -- but it is also quite possible the watch is infiltrated by false "Hands"...

With the investigation now in the hands of "proper authorities", and the teifling situation seemingly resolved, our gang can now go about our real job -- find the mountain pass noted on the shattered image-plate.

R&T60:more rain. The dragonborn, both of whom are army veterans, went to the local military garrison to check in, thinking military scouts might have some word about the region we are heading to. The senior enlisted troop, a rough-lookin' half-elf lady, was happy to treat us as auxiliaries, and gave us 4 horses for our trip. The rest of the rainy day was spent outfitting for the trek.

R&T61:sunny day -- the storm finally broke! The ride to Elu Enclave was uneventful, and we arrived to find Lyzda there. Fenn warned us about some kind of humanoid bees that have been encountered to the west, and a dangerous weed that grows 2-1/2' to 3' high in fields: the killer buds shoot way up in the air, and when they all back down they impale prey with pointy sharp barbs. Io also provided some military training about certain issues that can occur when charging through fields where the plants average 2-1/2' to 3' high...

R&T62:more good weather. We headed out bright and early, made good time in our west-bound trek. When we took our first rest for the day, 4 goblins attacked (2nd time we've encountered goblins, and there's 4 again -- maybe they typically operate in 4-man fire-teams...); there was one that seemed like it might have been pretty tough, but the gnome slaughtered it with massive damage. (Spontaloneus has turned out to be the primary damage-dealer for our little team.) The leader-goblin had 5 +1 arrows!

When we started to set up camp that night (just a few miles from the edge of the forest), Spontaloneus had a chat with some local wildlife. The squirrels reported some kind of problem in a copse of woods to the north: investigation found a bee-dude trapped in spider webs. We dispatched the spiders, moved our camp into the spider's clearing.

R&T63: (yet another nice day!) having camped right on the border between hex G4 and G5, our new enyun (bee-dude) pal, whom I call "7-of-9", was raring to go; within an hour of travel he was in range to communicate with his hive. His hive wanted us to check on an adjacent hive that had gone silent.

We proceeded directly to the location of the other hive, and saw evidence of an attack by KOBOLDS. We killed a green slime "guarding" the entrance sump, and clambered up into the main area of the hive's nest: clear evidence of numerous kobolds having been through here, but it's been some time since the last one came by. We tracked 'em to a cavern filled with kobold zombies! The exits were trapped, but we destroyed one easily and went through. We also left a pit-trap intact -- but we all know where it is...

Next cavern was all-natural, with numerous speleothems, and a camp in the center. There was a healing potion and a potion of Water Breathing, plus a cool-looking ornamental orb of clear crystal held by a bronze hand (the hand has such detail it may well be an actual human hand turned to bronze -- IT IS EVIL!!). Another orb, golden-yellow, gives a tingly sensation when held (turns out to be a DRIFT GLOBE!!). There was also a fake floor covering another pit-trap on the corridor out leading north -- but this trap tripped if you move along the edge, and is safe down the middle. A pile of firewood sat next to the pit-trap. The room at the end of that north corridor may have been a kitchen, with a few kobold skeletons scattered about. We tricked many zombies into the pit-trap, and found an egg-clutch behind the "kitchen". (TOOK A SHORT REST HERE!)

The untrapped northwest corridor led to an underground spring. The west corridors connected at a dead end, creating a loop. Southwest passage led to a trap, and went on to a webbed chamber: there were several desiccated enyun corpses in the webs.
The south passages merged, then led to wax-plugged chamber -- beyond the plug is enyun hive territory. Several enyun zombies were "bumbling" about here. They don't handle breath weapons well! There's another wax plug here -- we set up a fire to melt it over time...

Going back to the web room, we defeated warrior and worker zombie bees, then woke up a very large mama spider by trying to burn webs. She had swarms, too -- the combo made for a pretty tough fight...
The chamber beyond had a desiccated human body: apparently an adventurer, with 23 cp, 12 sp, 70gp, and a magic bag (for Spontaloneus)! Within was also a spell scroll with Protection of Energy (for Vergil), a potion of Poison Resistance, and a small flask of some kind of oil.

We were pretty chewed up after the mama spider fight, and wanted to take a short rest, but first we sent the gnome to check the fire we left to melt the final wax plug -- to make sure it was safe to rest -- but he triggered an encounter!! Several undead enyun came out -- including a freaky wasp-like thing with a spiral stinger! Also, gnome found a zombie queen in the final room, but she's just a blob trapped in place by here own mass and webbing.
WE BARELY SURVIVED THIS FIGHT!
LONG REST HERE.
next morning, 7-of-9 asked us to kill the zombie queen, so we did.

each character was awarded 482XP -- Silver and Vergil made 3rd level! Io is at 1,443XP, Sterling should be at 1,115XP...

R&T64: having dispatched the enyun zombie queen as requested, our teifling decided to destroy the evil orb held by the bronze hand using his thunder power -- as soon as it broke, 3 unpleasant Nothics were summoned! The teifling was knocked out in the battle that ensued, but the fiends were all destroyed. A short rest was needed after the fight.

Then we traveled south back to the Aur river, and proceeded west. At our first pause, Io befriended a birdie, and used his Beast Sense to scout upriver: along the way, the bird spotted a vine-killed bear, and (a few miles later) an abandoned campsite near a rope bridge.

When we stopped to check on the bear carcass, Io tried chatting up one of the little deer there -- and vines attacked! During the fight *STERLING WAS KILLED*, and taken as fertilizer by the vines! We recovered some of his stuff, so now Io is the proud owner of the DRIFT GLOBE, two +1 arrows, and a shortbow (not to mention half a pound of coffee beans)...

Proceeding to the campsite, we found it was abandoned by miners several days ago -- and it looks like they left rather suddenly. Io took a SHORT REST here, whilst the teifling and gnome explored the area. No sign of the previous inhabitants, but they left a couple pounds of unprocessed gold behind. We set up hammocks to sleep high into the trees for our overnight long rest.

R&T65: We tried to take a day off to mourn our lost party member...but Vergil and Spontaloneus just had to check out the rope bridge -- and the teifling fell into the stream! Io ran to help, pulling some rope out as he ran: he tossed the end of the rope to the gnome, and jumped into the river. BAD PLAN! Gnome did not grab rope, so Io shot downriver until the rope caught on something; he tried to use it to lever himself ashore, but in the end he had to let go the rope...eventually he managed to simply swim ashore. Vergil did the same half a mile downstream...

Meanwhile, Spontaloneus was waylaid by 2 druids -- but another druid (Damon's new character, MORADIN) showed up to help the gnome defeat the bad guys. The druids put up a good fight, but sneak attack prevailed. The druids had 2 potions o' Healing (used immediately) and 3 moss agates (10gp each)...

The radical druids had charmed and killed the miners. Among the crappy belongings of the miners, we found a powerful magic item: an AMULET OF HEALTH!! (2 more hit points per level for the new guy...)

1,013XP for Spontaloneus;663XP for Io and Vergil; (Io is now at 2,106XP);
new guy got 450XP...

R&T66: (decent weather, not much rain)
Io insisted on taking a down day to mourn the loss of his clutchmate. Moradin, the druid that helped Spontaloneous Jack defeat the evil druids the previous day, expressed an interest in our exploration mission, but said he had some business to take care of first (tracking down the 3rd evil druid?); he claimed he could catch up to us within a few days, and took his leave.

R&T67: (nice weather albeit a little breezy...)
The dragonborn, gnome, and teifling hiked to the split between north and south fork of the Aur River (hex G5), and proceeded northwest. We noted the north fork is cold, clear water whereas the south fork is muddy and runs somewhat slower. Soon we encountered some friendly Sprites: they helped us on our trek avoiding assassin vine fields and generally hastening our travel -- leading us quickly through the forest (the rest of hex G5) and into the hills (hex F5) by late afternoon! (It is possible the sprites were helping us more to get us out of their territory quickly rather than to just be friendly...) Before sending us on, the sprites recommended returning via the south fork of the Aur, noting it is a more navigable waterway, with better opportunity to encounter our own kind (*and* going that way would incidentally keeps us from passing through their turf again!)....
We traveled for another hour or so then we happened to notice we were traveling back the way we came! Had some subtle magic had induced us to reverse course, without our even noticing? Whilst Vergil did a Detect Magic ritual, Io did his rituals to gain Animal Friendship and Beast Sense: he convinced a birdie to fly northwest along the river for a while. As he tuned in on the bird's senses, he noticed the bird did as requested for a short time, then inexplicably veered to the west! It was late enough in the day we decided to back off a mile or so and camp.
LONG REST HERE...

R&T68: (another fine day!)
We rode to point where we guessed we had turned around the day before: we could see where game trails turn away as well! Some powerful magic was compelling all animals to eschew entry into the area ahead. Io moved forward, repeating "River left! River left!" and it worked! The others quickly followed suit, and within a quarter-mile we found a ruined shrine to some oracle but the oracle's name had been chiseled away. Continuing north, we found a simple spring that was the source of the north fork of the Aur River.
Just past the spring we came across the grounds of a large, forgotten temple and gardens. There was a broken tower, and much of the stone walls had been reduced to rubble. What was once obviously a beautiful place was now just a ruin but not just by natural weathering and aging! It was clear that most of the destruction was vandalism, with debris stuffed into piping and tool marks evident on broken stonework. We also noticed identifying information had been chiseled or scratched away much like the shrine just to the south. The vandalism appeared to have occurred many years before, perhaps decades or even centuries. The main building had some intact roof area, and we found a chamber that could only be entered from above: Jack dropped in and found a plaque that didn't fit in with the rest of the architecture: "Praise be to xxxxxxxx (chisel'd off)" and "Whom always speaks to the xxxxxxxx (chisel'd off)".
There were a couple of columns in the main room that were not attached at top and bottom (not structural support): we found they could be rotated -- when we did so, grinding noises and the sound of flowing water started promptly. Io ran outside for a look: it was evident that water was trying to flow toward what was once lovely garden fountains: instead, a couple of gushers were simply shooting into the air, and water was oozing from various other broken outlets around the gardens.
There was a door from the main room leading south: it appeared to have been chained closed for long enough the chain had rusted away. It also seemed to have been sealed from within, but the ancient barring disintegrated with our effort, revealing a valve chamber with a few skeletons scattered around. After a thorough search, we found a sort of safety deposit box in a secret panel: there were two potions of Water Breathing, and some kind of super-heavy scale armor for a very large creature but the armor was made of stone. There was also a pair of levers.
The next room was a bath -- and an oracle plaque with the name intact: Rhione -- next to a sort of arch, lined with tiny spigots, standing free near the pool. We turned some valves that started water flowing into the little spigots creating a sort of water-gate -- and Rhione came through! Some kind of elemental being of water, she spoke of expecting to meet "Yoolid" (an emissary or acolyte?). She was distraught to learn of the temple's destruction; we left her to do repairs whilst we measured the dome of confusion surrounding this temple. The dome appears to center just below one of the gardens...
Vergil dug up an orb in that garden: it kinda matches the orb we destroyed a few days ago -- it doesn't detect as evil, but it causes anyone who handles it to forget what they were doing...
Taking the orb outside the "radius of confusion" shuts the confision down! Vergil buried Io's backpack with the orb in it....
It turns out Rhione helped make that porcelain map that we gave to Leckerton last week. Rhione explained that the purpose of the map was to identify some points of interest concerning the "Five High-born" the rulers of these lands. Rhione described the five:
- Ghalona (youngest and most melancholy) had a gateway to her domain in a nearby castle -- perhaps the pass that we seek leads to that gate!
- Virthen (youngest brother) was diminutive and favored the company of hobbits had some disdain for large folk;
- Gwothen -- another High-born -- was a magic fanatic, and might have something to do with the orbs;
- Ethen, The eldest brother, works with black dragonborn (seems to be evil);
- Lovin (eldest sister) had an affinity for giants -- and was the least vicious to her subjects...
Vergil attuned to the orb, and could see an observer watching the vicinity of this orb -- whilst the teifling could in return see the area around the "sister" orb! The black dragonborn attending the observer suggest it's Ethen watching us...
Vergil secured the orb to his abdomen, ensuring he remains attuned to it.
LONG REST HERE...

R&T69 (more sun!):
With no more river to follow, we simply rode northwest, dead-reckoning for the mountain pass. Within a few hours, whilst transiting through a draw between two hills, we were ambushed by a band of gnolls! We were getting shot up pretty bad, but had taken a few gnolls down as well -- but then the orb strapped to Vergil's belly got hit by an arrow and exploded! The teifling was killed instantly in the blast. Everyone else (including the gnolls) ran from the nothics that appeared: hours later, Io and Spontaloneous rallied back at Rhione's temple (now dubbed the Vergil Memorial Waterpark). Since his exploration detail had now suffered 50% casualties, Sergeant Io called for mission scrub.

R&T70 / 71 / 72 (good weather?) The gnome and the dragonborn finished out the Rain and Thaw season with their return trek to PortHarbor. (The druid, Moradin, probably joined the pair along the way.) We'll start the Sun and Shade season with reporting mission results to Sgt Quellen and Leckerton...

Sun & Shade (S&S) season, day1: (decent weather) Io and Spontaloneous reported in to the top sergeant at Port Harbor's garrison, providing almost all the details of our expedition -- but the gnome used guile and misdirection to keep Io from revealing any information about "Rhione" (the water-being at the temple we found). The sergeant was not too pleased about us losing one of the horses she loaned us...

Io also went to the temple of Cwamin and paid them to say a prayer for his fallen comrades, Sterling and Vergil.

When we reported in with Leckerton, he was rather upset that we turned back from scouting the mountain pass: we emphasized that our guild is committed to his task, and another expedition will attempt the trek ASAP.

Io visited Weird Yellen, but now that creep wants to up the rent *above* 100gp/month. Seems pretty crappy to gouge us, especially when we're noticing a *decline* in the population of Port Harbor -- as prospectors take advantage of the summer weather to move into the wilderness and pan for gold. Io wants nothing more to do with Yellen; instead, he wants the guild to acquire Charlen's property -- pursuant to building a fort there! Unfortunately, it will cost 500gp to get the deed for Charlen's plot of land...

Io has decided to call our guild "Sterling Edge Investigations".

Beorg showed up wanting to join our guild -- but mainly just because he heard we fought some gnolls, and he wants to kill gnolls if we go back out! Io sent Beorg and Spontaloneous to the docks, hoping to recruit some newcomers just off the boat. Luckily, two likely candidates were spotted: an elf named JARETH, and a dwarf named AVEY. They found quarters with a family whose child had traveled on the ship they arrived on. The family offered to let the whole guild quarter with them -- they have ample space! -- for 30gp/month. This is a great deal for us! In return for such a good deal, we will help provide security for their home...

There's an elderly guy living with that family -- we call him GARY OLDMAN -- and the codger asked us to take him to the original settlement, Fell Shore. He hopes to gain some closure after his family disappeared from there (along with everyone else) seven years ago. He offered 500gp commission! Io reasoned that the intelligence collected during the trip could be valuable to our expedition to the mountain pass, so the side mission is justified as part of our commitment to Leckerton.

S&S day 2: (overcast but not stormy). Beorg, Moradin, Spontaloneus, Jareth, Avey, and "Gary Oldman" set off early in the morning, arriving at the abandoned colony by early afternoon. Beorg scouted in, discovered a freaky flesh golem that had just killed a deer -- the golem seemed to be trying the deer's remains on like clothing. The party moved in and killed it.

Fell shore is a ruin, with just a few rickety structures still standing. While the old man stood on the beach, meditating or something, the party went about checking everything there in detail, and Spontaloneus ran around using Detect Magic to see if there was any signs of magical places or items. Meanwhile, Beorg used his ranger skills to stealthily follow the conspicuous trail of blood left by the Golem as it dragged the dead deer in from the south. Within a few minutes, he spotted some orcs following the trail! He fired an arrow into one of the orcs (from a goodly distance), and they chased (using *Chase* rules!) the ranger back to where the rest of the party could wipe them out. A pair of bears got involved in the chase (thanks to a couple of rolls on the Chase rules table), and each bear had a fine meal of dead orc.

Back in Port Harbor, Io considered finding another recruit for the expedition to Leckerton's mountain pass. He needs somebody he can trust -- perhaps another dragonborn, or maybe a paladin...

S&S day 11 (rainy day, with wind and thunder later in the day))
'Gary OLDMAN' revealed (only to Moradin) that he ain't got no money. He wants to stay on FellShore and pass away (we got him to sign a letter explaining he wasn't murdered by us...)

Party returned to PortHarbor, arriving midafternoon: five new ships have arrived, so there are many new arrivals! Io is there recruiting and ran into a clutchmate, Argent (Paladin), who just arrived. He heard the news of Sterling's death and boarded a ship the next day. Beorg showed up looking for Io, to take him to 'OLDMAN'S' room -- which will reveal OLDMAN lied to us...

There's mail waiting when we got 'home' (living with family)! Leckerton has summoned Io; Moradin's guild (Grey Hooves) demands his attendance; and FirstSergeant Quellen wants us to report to her office at the garrison. Jeez, we were only gone one day!

The Grey Hooves want Moradin to deliver some twitty "draft dodgers" (Leef is their leader) to a mining claim. (200gp commission);

Sgt Quellen provided 6 horses, with 1 week's food, in support of 'Sterling Edge Investigations' exploration trek to the pass -- meant to serve as commission in barter for the firm to scout threats to the north (up to the Featherwood River). Side mission? Beorg started to brief his recent trip to inturrupted Fell Shore, but was interrupted by a warrior of Damina: we were taken to meet a VIP who is funding protection of the garrison.

Leckerton needs immediate recovery of a crystal globe, found by a one-eyed panner named Burt!

When Io investigated Gary OLDMAN'S room, Moradin reported the truth -- there never was any money. Beorg stormed off into the woods when he learned of the old man's treachery.

S&S day12: (more rain...)
Took all morning to get underway -- and we only made 10 miles of progress!

S&S day 13: (sunny!)
(this date marks 30 days since Io got off the ship at port Harbor...)
An hour into trek, took short rest at Charlen's house (these days in use by passers by, as a way-station); then a couple of runners reported raiding orcs had just wiped out an unfortunate panning party. We avenged them (fight opened with a ladle lobbed at Io for a crit!)...

After our early-morning chat with the enyun about what's up-river, our caravan proceeded -- entering the woods within an hour. We encountered several prospectors and settlers headed back out of the wilderness: they've all been roughed up by monsters! An hour or so into the woods, there were some soldiers marking a claim for some noble. Around lunchtime, we came across some drunk trappers encamped right on the road; a short distance away from their tents were a few cages full of rabbits. Evidently, the hunters use the rabbits to draw the assassin vines away from the little deer, then grab the quarry for their starbrew-filled poop. One of the rabbits caught Moradin's eye: it seemed to have very human intelligence. Moradin surreptitiously liberated that rabbit.

After lunch, the caravan came across an ogre chowing down on a bear it killed; neither of those beasts will be bothering any more settlers!

At the end of the day, a mated pair of owlbears attacked our camp (foolishly interrupting our dinner)! Owlbears are pretty tough, so the family's dad (is that Leef?) ordered his boys (teenagers) to get into the fight. Sadly, although they fought bravely (for the most part) one of the kids was killed. Interestingly, we found 2 platinum rings in the guts of the owlbears. Also, a bag of gold dust -- so there are probably some prospectors missing around here...

___________________________

S&S15: (drizzly day)

Our caravan trekked through the drizzle, and around mid-morning we saw a large camp ahead -- they even have a permanent structure (a cabin), and the beginnings of a pallisade. This is Vello's claim, and he lives in the cabin. We found Burt (the prospector that found an orb), but he sez he gave the crystal globe he found to Vello.

Rather than risk some kind of hostile encounter while the family was still with us, Argent suggested completing our escort mission first, then coming back for the orb. After lunch, the caravan proceeded to the family's claim, arriving late in the day. A man named Aster was eagerly awaiting for their arrival. He reported there is some kind of scary nasty beast terrorizing the area, and offered a 30gp commission to investigate.

___________________________

S&S16: (sunny day)

Sterling Edge Investigations accepted Aster's commission to scout the reported monster, and headed into the wild first thing in the morning. Lots of evidence of predators around, until we got closer to a cave Aster had told us about. It seems the ETTIN that had taken up residence in the cave had been clearing out predators in it's territory! That won't be a problem anymore -- but we definitely *earned* our 30gp commission...

still S&S16: The ettin we killed had no treasure -- just a crude ax and a nasty, rusted spike in a badly infected wound on it's foot. The cave appeared to be an ancient, natural cave reaching deep into the cliff. We heard a faint chime sound coming from a narrow fissure in the back of the cave: the dwarf quickly chiseled it into a gap we could all pass through. On the other side of the fissure, we had just busted out of a tiled wall -- some kind of ancient, crumbling mosaic, now an unrecocnizeable scene from the past.

Beyond the fissure, we found a passageway leading north and south, with a once-secret door on the east side of the passage (across from the fissure we came through); the wooden frame around stone door had rotted in a way that revealed an old trap still active. We chiseled around the frame, and removed door and frame together (so as to not trigger the trap), and found stairs leading down. We decided to explore the current level before going down, so we put the whole assembly back in place...

Heading north we rounded a corner: the passage was partially collapsed, but two entryways could easily be reached: the first one, on the left (north), had a ceiling covered with shimmering crystal spines that tinkle quietly. A little east of there, a great hall with signs of a massive battle; Lovin's symbol was emblazoned on the north wall. Broken glass and tableware scattered all around suggest a banquet was interrupted by combat -- evidently a few fireballs were used in the fight.

South from the great hall, we found a dining room, and a kitchen. A pantry lay west of the kitchen, and a storeroom beyond that, with a door connecting to the first north-south passage we found when we first entered. East of the kitchen, a caved-in hallway revealed a hole where something had dug its way in from a cavern south and east of this complex of rooms. One of the digging marks had an imprint from a ring with Glothen's symbol...

East from the great hall, a small empty room had a door leading further east, but it was sealed with a great swipe of stone across it, as if solid rock was "painted" across it. It appears someone or something can treat stone like a thick liquid. Our dwarf dug through, revealing a medium-sized room, with a narrow passage heading south, and an archway leading north. The archway led to a foyer in front of a pair of great stone double-doors leading east -- this time with a double swipe of rock painted across the doors. Another archway lead north from the foyer. When we all entered the foyer, the skeletons of several dwarves attacked us! After defeating the skeletons, we could hear what tunred out to be a gibbering mouther approaching from the north: it got a pretty good hit in on Io before we destroyed it, so the party went back out through the ettin's cave, and took a SHORT REST outside under the sun, in the the ravine that leads to the cave.

Going back in, we went down south from the medium room adjacent to the foyer, and came across a burned-out barracks. When we all entered and started pocking around, another set of skeletons formed from the burned bones scattered around the barracks: they were very tough, and did multiple types of damage on each hit! After destroying them, we closed ourselves in the barracks and took a LONG REST.

S&S17: In the morning, we checked out the northern rooms (beyond the intersection where we encountered the gibbering mouther): we found a slime-filled room where the mouther appeared to live, and another pair of stone double-doors, with another double swipe of rock painted across both doors.

We decided to go down the stairs behind the "secret" door that was the very first thing we found in this dungeon. An unlocked door at the bottom lead to a room that detected faintly of magic (enchantment) -- a well-lit gallery of some sort, with (possibly) display nooks across from our entry, and a heavy door adjacent to the nooks. The heavy door could not be opened in any obvious way. A set of handles in the "display nooks" seemed to be the key, so we played with them a bit -- tripping a spear trap, then opening the heavy door. A shag-carpeted hallway with three more doors lay beyond the heavy door, but as soon as our wizard entered, parts of the gallery room seemed to collapse as counter-weights moved down like some elaborate trap. Avey was caught by a counter-weight with his hand still on one of the handles, his arm was broken by the movement! In fact, the dwarf's arm was smashed up rather badly before we figured out a way to lift the counter weights and free him...

S&S17 continued: After fixing up Avey's mangled arm, we figured out how to safely operate the heavy door leading past this display room. The two doors just inside the heavy door had magic traps on 'em, so we went on by and went to the door at the end of the carpeted hall. It was not locked, and a suit of really fancy dwarven armor stood a few feet inside the room. It attacked when we entered, of course.

The suit had been standing in a living room/study, with a library adjacent to the right. A door opposite the library leads to a bedroom with privy. A magic screen between the study and the library made the shelves appear empty, but once inside the screen one can see the shelves are full of books. Further review suggests this place may have been the living quarters of "DONOVON", a legendary dwarven craftsman of ancient times. Our dwarf became extremely excited by the books in the library, presenting many formulas for the crafting of fabulous armor and weapons -- and even some magical ones!

There is also an ORB in the library, possibly a surveillance device...

We took a short rest in Donovon's living room, then turned our attention back to the trapped doors in the hallway. In the end, Jared used a Flaming Sphere to simply burn the doors until the trap went off whilst the rest of party hid in the bedroom two rooms away: there was an explosion, but nobody was there to get hurt. One door led to a studio, full of display pedestals (mostly empty); the other door went to a bigger room with benches and tools for crafting details into weapons and armor. Several crates of completed armor weapons were just left here: we opened 'em like presents on Christmas morning! The weapons are beautifully crafted as much art as implements of war. There was
- a suit of Mithral chainmail;
- a suit of Dwarven Plate Armor (which Avey put on right away, of course);
- a dagger;
- a fine rapier (Io nabbed this);
- 2 axes;
- 2 maces;
- 3 longswords;
- 4 warhammers;
- a lovely chalice;
One crate had a beautiful construct built to resemble a girl-dwarf. Also, a small BRONZE GRIFFON figurine turned out to be magical a Figurine of Wondrous Power! Avey was fascinated by the construct; Io was fascinated by the little figurine.

Beyond the finishing workcenter, we found a very large room that was a full foundry, with a high-quality forge, several workbenches and anvils, and a very large construct built into the room. The construct was fashioned to look like a pair of large female dwarves, fused back-to-back into one giant assistant. This construct could clearly serve as a crane for moving large objects, and had a built in hammer for forging metalworks. A pair of auras seemed to be following us as we moved around the room...

Back in the finishing room, the dwarf was looking over the girl-dwarf construct, and found a key which activated her. She came to life, but could not speak. Instead, she formed a mental bond with the key-holder, Avey, that allows her to communicate telepathically: her name is "ELLY". All she wants to do participate in crafting activities, and she was eager to get "MIRA" (the big construct in the foundry) into action as well. Our wizard determined that these were more than mere clockworks: when activated, they had some kind of "souls" possibly beings from another dimension, using the constructs as portals or vehicles in our world.

Discussion with Elly affirms that she worked for Donovon -- who in turn was working for (or with) the high-born Lovin.
When asked, Elly also reported the presence of a Teleportation Circle elsewhere in the underground complex; she then personally led us upstairs and through to the southern rooms, stopping at the southern-most double-doors that had rock swiped across them. She was able to undo the rock-swiped blockage, using her specially manufactured hands as a sort of vibro-blade, and we opened the doors to reveal a very large room. A mummified body was propped against the door, which fell out as soon as the doors opened. Other bodies could be seen scattered about the room -- along with a large, hulking statue of something monstrous standing halfway across the room. We determined the statue was a clay golem! The bodies had clearly been brutalized by the golem, which probably activated when the Teleportation Circle was used. We managed to pull the closest body out without activating the golem: it had a letter that apparently coordinated the dead party's arrival at the circle with another groups' activity. There was also a potion of Water Breathing. Eager to *not* activate the golem, we closed the doors to the teleportation room.

We then went to the double doors to the west that were blocked by swiped stone, and had Elly vibro-blade that blockage away: those doors are another entry way into this underground complex. A scroll case here contained a missive from a "Lieutenant Kell", reporting to "Commander Cleuth" what appears to be a failed siege of this place; he closed with the salutation "Praise Lovin!".

The wizard's familiar did an aerial recon from this western portal, and reported another cave entrance to the north: we guessed it goes into the cavern from which someone dug into the collapsed hall by the kitchen. We went through the kitchen to that collapsed hall, and descended through the narrow dug passage into the cavern. It is a very large, living cave. We went a short way in, but we interrupted two trolls -- a boy troll and a girl troll (trollop?) doing the nasty (particularly nasty in this case); the fight was particularly rough because we had very little fire to use on the trolls! The cleric wound up using a simple torch to stop most of the regeneration. Half the party fell at least once...we definitely needed a long rest after that nasty fight!!

S&S18 (sunny day): waking up in Donovon's forgotten compound on the 18th day of Sun-and-Shade season, we found our elf already researching at length in the library; our dwarf set to work isolating the late ettin's cave from the complex (the farmer who commissioned us to clear the cave, "Aster", will want to use it for storage, and we don't want him finding our secret lab). The rest of the party went to report our success to Aster and collect the 30gp commission for Sterling Edge Investigations!

S&S19 (sunny and hot): we barely managed to extract Avey from the forge -- and Jared from the library -- for our trek back to Vello's mining camp. The half-orc that really runs Vello's camp, Raylo, got us an audience with Vello: his cabin is a hot and disturbing place, little more than a dining room for an occupant that constantly stuffs his face with food. Vello himself is corpulent, slimy, and generally disgusting. Another man in the cabin, Fenn, hardly seemed to notice the shortcomings of his boss. Vello agreed to show us the orb we seek over dinner.

We set up camp on the downriver side of the mining camp, then tracked down the one-eyed miner who found the orb: he didn't have anything more to say about it, though.

When we arrived for dinner, Vello made a fuss over Avey's spectacular dwarven armor, offering big money to buy it (but it's not for sale, of course). As we sat down to eat, Vello produced the orb we asked about. It doesn't look like the magical orbs we encountered: more like a large fishing bob, used by giants to fish in the river (which it is). Io suspected the old bait-and-switch, but it proved out that this is indeed the bauble found in the river. We kept it, for delivery to Leckerton. Luckily, nobody got sick from visiting the disgusting man's cabin.

S&S20 (hot & humid): in order to head northwest for the mountain pass we seek, the party swam across the Aur river. This left us trekking between the north fork and the south fork, trending a little north as we traveled westbound.

Late in the day, we came across a large, friendly shaman, BINTELLA, who looks like a giant female dwarf (if that makes any sense). She hails from the kingdom of KELM, in the mountains due west of the confluence of the Aur's north and south forks. Bintella warned us to stay away from there: apparently, her people mourn the passing of Lovin, after her betrayal by some dragonborn (black dragon types) in the north of this land -- and these "giant-dwarfs" of Kelm are very mistrustful of outsiders. We camped with her, and she told us a little about a great conflict between the high-born; we found it notable that this war took place over 2,000 years ago.

S&S21 (hot & humid): we took our leave of Bintella, traveled an hour or so until the woods started to thin out, then headed north (to avoid Kelm). Around mid-day, we encountered a band of gnolls -- nearly a dozen of 'em! After wiping them out, we found their encampment: the miner-murdering gnolls had several pans (of the type used by miners panning for gold), probably kept as trophies. One of the pans detected as magical: further study reveals any plain old dirt and pebbles placed in this magic pan looks like gold.
We took a short rest, having a nice lunch in the gnoll encampment.

Continuing with S&S21: after lunch in the gnoll's camp, we hiked to the compound where Rhione (the oracle and water being) resides. We discovered a few squatters, worshippers of Damina who now follow Rhione, have moved into Rhione's environs. We met with Rhione, and she verified that Glothin likes to make golems. She also reports many groups of monsters, probably gnolls and/or hobgoblins, are encamped to the west between us and Leckerton's pass...

S&S22: (overcast day) we set off for Leckerton's Pass early; within an hour, we intercepted a messenger raven carrying a message -- it looked like a little red flag -- strapped to its foot. A few hours later, we came across the scene of a recent battle, and managed to notice a trip-wire strung across the whole clearing. Io produced his Wondrous Figurine, and brought the griffon to life: while he was trying to commune with the griffon, worg-riding hobgoblins attacked! We subsequently noted they all wore insignia of a broken horn, so we decided to call their legion the "Broken Horn Legion". They seemed to really hate our elf! After the battle, we took a short rest, whilst the griffon flew overhead and scouted west a bit. There are *many* troops of hobgoblins between us and the pass we seek to scout -- far too many for our little party to fight. Once again, we must abandon our quest.

We retreated back to Rhione's, hoping to take a long rest there; from there, we'll go east and then north.

S&S23 (humid): being the 2nd day of The Festival of Fraithu (always the 22nd through the 24th of Sun&Shade season), Sgt Io formed the party up for a little parade, marching through Rhione's compound to start the day. Having properly honored his patron deity, he then used his Spirit Seeker abilities with a blue jay for an aerial reconnaissance of the north fork of the Aur. The party hiked all day with no issues. Note that the pixies have destroyed the rope near the fork in the Aur, cutting access to north side of the Aur River in that area. We camped about 10 miles east of where the river forks.

S&S24 (humid): easily made it to the big ford south of Elo Enclave. A few miles before the ford, we encountered a band of properly armed men, on horseback (much like ourselves). A big dude calling himself Gron, "The Hunger", served as leader: he bore the badge of victory from one of Gwagem's tournaments (bloody arena battles with few survivors) and carried himself like a bit of a thug. The men were "looking for gold and adventure". We were cordial, and rode on -- only to find Fenn (an old friend from a previous visit to the Elo Enclave) and a boy on sentry duty at the ford had been waylaid by Gron just a couple of hours before we got there! Gron had landed a haymaker on Fenn, killed the boy, and taken several of the Elo Enclave's horses. We rode down the badguys: and exacted field justice when they drew blades. Io's horse was KO'd during the fight, but Avey prevented it from dying...
We returned and took Fenn to the Enclave, a few mile north of the ford. We met Lyzda, who reported horses are being kept south of the river ever since a bullette started attacking those near the Enclave. We rested in the Enclave overnight.

S&S25 (hot & sunny): we spent the day dealing with the bullette problem -- which it turns out included several ankegs as well! We managed to prevail, but the giant-bug ankegs had a nasty tactic or two...
The Enclave was pleased to bring their livestock back to the vicinity, and offered us citizenship: the highly lawful Io declined, as did the paladin -- but the other party members accepted.

S&S26 (nice day): we set forth northbound from the Enclave, Fenn guiding us for the first several hours; he turned back when we reached the "red fields" -- ensuring his arrival back at the Enclave well before sundown. We trekked along the edge of the forest to the west, hoping to make it to the Featherwood river a little after nightfall. We ran right into a nest of sneaky cockatrices, but ran through and bypassed 'em with no casualties. We camped several miles south of the river (near junction of hexes D3/E4/E3...).

The DM awarded each party member 1,325XP! Io is now 5th level, as are a few others party members...

S&S27: having camped a few miles north of the cockatrice encounter, we set off north in the morning. Within a few miles -- not far from the Featherwood River -- we felt a strangeness come over us. More importantly, Avey's animated companion, Elly, suddenly became inert. We had entered some kind of antimagic field! Further investigation suggested the field is more like a region (perhaps many miles across)...

As we experimented to determine the edge of the anti-magic zone, we heard a wailing cry from within the region: it sounded like a woman crying out in pain. Of course, we rushed to help (if needed): we quickly came across a bear and a funny-looking, hairy-faced kid: They appeared to be guarding someone or something in distress in the bushes. Rather than attack right away, we tried to ask what was going on -- but neither the kid nor the bear seemed inclined to palaver with our party. Luckily, our medical pro (Avey) determined from the sounds that some kind of medical emergency was in progress, and announced that he was a skilled healer: the guards (reluctantly) let him through! A breach birth was in progress, and Avey was able to save both mother and child.

As our healer was working, two more bears showed up, accompanied by two men with hairy faces: one (apparently) middle-aged, and one much older. They seemed to have a particularly hostile attitude towards the dragonborn: in order to reduce tension, Argent and Io clearly announced that they would move away and stand guard from a distance. This obviously desire to avoid conflict impressed the elder, and parley ensued. (Avey's success with the birthing process helped as well.) We exchanged introductions: the hairy man that arrived is TAD; elder is HENKE; the new mother is YONDA; the kid is NEWELL. It turns out the bears have human intelligence (and names) as well. They are a race that exists only within the anti-magic sone, that consists of both hairy folk and bears. Some children are born bears, some are born human.

We asked about the area: the bear-folk (ursa-kin?) report sirens operating at the big lake to the east, and "Stone Men" to the north. North of the stone men is a stone circle, perhaps once the foundation of a circular tower. In the far north is a civilization that occasionally sends groups of dragonborn (evil black dragonborn) on patrols, but they do not generally venture all the way to the Featherwood River, and never south of it (as far as the bear-folk know). In addition, there is a place near the lake where the surface is smooth and shiny in a radius over 100'.

S&S28: after we rested with the bear-folk, a few of them agreed to lead us north of the Featherwood River, acting as guides. The trek to a fordable section of river was quite rough, stumbling through marsh and rugged, difficult terrain, but once past the river we were simply hiking across prairie. Around mid-afternoon, we arrived at the stone circle, and verified it as the ruins of a tower. Venturing a quarter-mile or so north of the ruins, we found the north-most edge of the anti-magic region, which Io dutifully noted on his map.

Within the ruins of the tower, Avey, Jared and Moradin found a forgotten underground chamber: two stone chests appeared to be magically trapped, but the runes did not function within the anti-magic zone. One chest had coins and treasure -- plus a pair of googles. Sergeant Io was very excited about the goggles, believing they had a very military look-and-feel to them -- so he took them as (in essence) a fashion accessory. Venturing north to outside the anti-magic zone, we determined the goggles are Goggles of Night! Io was eager to keep them, but decided carrying the Driftglobe runs counter to the use of the goggles, so he gave the Driftglobe to Moradin.

S&S29; having rested overnight at circle of stones, the party proceeded to the "shiny area". It appears the soil had been turned to glass by some great energy; perhaps a super-fireball, or a high-impact event. Then Moradin found meteoric iron, suggesting the nature of the impact. We could barely make out hints of the siren's song in the distance, so we decided to get out of there.

We successfully navigated to the center of the anti-magic zone, based on the maps the sergeant was constantly updating. No structures were found, nor any other objects or clues to the source of the anti-magic field. We decided to dig into the ground a bit, looking for a possible buried artifact generating the field. Instead, we found a layer of crystals a few feet down; repeated digs around the area showed a layer of crystals was consistently a few feet down throughout the area. Is it possible the entire region (over ten miles in diameter) had this layer under the soil? We collected a few pound of the crystal, but the loss of a little bit of crystal didn't seem to effect the anti-magic zone.

Our bear-folk guides took leave of us, heading south towards home, and we headed back north to the stone circle, camping there again. We did see the "Stone Men": at least 30 stone golems, that have been rendered inert by the anti-magic region, stopped in their tracks during a northward march. They appeared to be in military-style rank-and-file marching formation.

S&S 30 (rain!): we continued our journey north; once we exited the anti-magic field, we experimented with the crystals we found. We verified that if a pound of the crystals were held in close proximity (within 5'), an anti-magic zone is generated in a 10' radius. A half-pound separated by more than 10' from another half-pound appeared to have no effect. The party decided Io and Jareth should each carry a pouch with a half-pound of the anti-magic crystals: as long as the two remain at least 10' from one another, no effects occur; but if Jareth and Io are adjacent to one another, an anti-magic field is created that effects the two of them -- and all space adjacent to them within 5'! (THIS COULD BE HANDY...) NOTE: the wizard and the barbarian must carefully track their relative positions to one another other, to avoid inadvertently activating the anti-magic field at a bad time...

Proceeding further north, we found ourselves entering into dense forest: the canopy was so thick it darkened the forest into a region of dim light all the way to the ground. The heavy rain filtered through in rivulets all day. In the afternoon, we were trudging along when centaurs sprang an ambush on us! A chimera joined the fight as well, after a round or two. The party was able to handle the centaurs readily, and damaged the chimera enough to drive it off -- but as it flew straight up trying to escape, Io got a lucky shot and killed it! (His luck was promptly countered by the thing landing right on Io when it fell...)

Eager to get to the river, the party trekked northeast without taking a short rest. We were determined to attain a fresh water supply, but hoping to avoid the song of the sirens on the lake by trending north. However, before we made it to the river, some kind of giant fly attacked. (The fly turned out to be a demon called a Chasme) The fiend managed to get a nasty hit on Io (draining 10 points from Io's Max Hit Points) before the paladin smited it into oblivion...

the session ended here. (Io has used up all his rages, and his max hit points are reduced by ten until a long rest is completed...)

The DM awarded 1,370XP, and we ended the session in desperate need of rest -- but still eager to get to the river north of Featherwood Lake...

S&S30 (continued) Without resting after the Ettercap/spider fight, we staggered forward towards the river, still angling northeast to avoid sirens on Featherwood Lake. We could hear the horns of centaur patrols sounding in pursuit behind us. After a mile or two, Avey (who was well forward on point) came across a band of black dragonborn: they did not see the silver dragonborn in the rear of our party, and Avey was able to briefly parley with them. They wanted to ambush the centaur patrol closing in behind us, so Avey quickly coordinated our support for their ambush. After the dragonborn engaged a few centaur, and both sides had taken some damage, we started attacking both black dragonborn and centaurs! The three way battle ended in victory for us, but one centaur escaped, sounding a call for more centaurs to come to our position. The leader of the black dragonborn had some pretty nice splintmail: now Argent (our dragonborn paladin) has some nice splintmail...

After quickly looting, we ran for our lives. There was something of a path leading east to the river now -- and luckily Avey spotted the pit traps that had been set in the path before we fell into them. Centaurs seemed to be flanking our position, and the time it took to negotiate the pit traps was giving the centaurs a chance to surround us.

But then an elf descended from the trees on a length of spidersilk rope, rigged with clever counter-weights to provide easy transport to and from the forest canopy above; he offered to assist us in escaping the centaurs -- but we would have to abandon our horses to take refuge in the trees above. After stripping the horses, we sent 'em to make their own way back to the Elo Enclave, hoping they would just look like natural animals wandering through the woods...

A few more silk ropes brought us up into a veritable tree kingdom high in the forest canopy. An elf named Valparappeared to be the leader of this band, and had taken an interest in our party after watching from above: he wanted to meet the "angel dragons" -- his term for the two silver dragons in the party. He has mostly only seen "Dark Born" (black dragonborn).

Valpar led us through the high tree-paths, but he insisted on going west. After several miles travel, our exhausted party finally took a <LONG REST> in a safe canopy conclave.
_________________S&S31 (sunny day) Continuing west through the canopy paths for many miles, in the late afternoon we finally arrived at the elven community of "Harking Glen". The leader of this elf-hall is Bluma, and she told us a tale told by her ancestors: that Ethan was defeated in the distant past in some kind of conflict with the other high-born.

Hoping to initiate trade with these folk, Io offered up his pound of Starbrew beans -- wanting nothing more in return than information about this region. Moradin instructed some of the elves in the proper preparation of Starbrew -- taking on the role of a drug pusher, developing a whole new market of future junkies...

We were taken to very old man (human), Carver, that had once been a thrall to the dark born. He had been born a slave in Kildorn, a village of black dragonborn who worship Gwagem. It seems the dragonborn serve under a nobility class, consisting of half-dragons, who order them to war with dwarves to the north of their lands, and send them south to take slaves. Carver reported that dreugar live under the black lands.
________________________S&S32: (dry day) The party decided it was time to return to Port Harbor, and report in. The elves claimed is was for too dangerous to travel directly south, and we opted to circumnavigate the centaur lands by traveling west to a lake marked on the map, which we learn is called Rorik Lake. From there, we can follow the Featherwood River back to the territory of the Ursa-kin we had previously befriended.

Valpar led the party west, through high canopy trails; it took a full day of travel to get to Rorik Lake. The paths through the trees were quite safe, however, and the tree-trek was uneventful.
_______________________S&S 33: (sunny day) Having led us to the lake, Valpar took leave of us in the morning, to return to his duties in Harking Glen. Although we were intent to return to Port Harbor, we first decided to visit the cloud-shrouded island that dominates Rorik Lake. So, instead of heading south along the shore of the lake, then down the Featherwood River, we spent the whole day making a boat!
____________________S&S 34: (sunny day) after some basic sea trials, and resulting improvements based on what we learned testing the boat, we finally rowed over to the island late morning. We readily determined the cloud and fog around the island is not natural. We arrived at a wind-swept beach, with very little vegetation. We pulled our boat well up the beach, and set out on foot to the south -- starting a clockwise trek around the island. After a few miles, we encountered swarms of nasty biting bugs: the dragonborn used their breath weapons to some effect on the creepy-crawlies, but they were tough: Argent also had to use his smite on the bugs to quell the threat.

S&S34 (continued from previous session): having destroyed the swarms of biting insects, we determined heading south kept us heading *into* the wind -- it would be much easier to proceed *with* the wind, so we headed north (Io likes the wind at his back...). We moved back along the beach: at the north end the wind turned west as we turned west; evidently the wind swirls counter-clockwise around the island. We travelled the north edge of the island and found nothing of note. Shortly after we headed south along the west side of the island, we came across an escarpment blocking the way south. Following the base of the cliff east, towards the island's interior, we climbed across a low stone wall that started at the base of the escarpment and headed north. The low wall appeared to have been worn down over the years by the constant wind...

We had to destroy an air elemental that seemed unexpectedly angry at our crossing into its yard!

We found an entry to a sand-filled passage leading straight back into the escarpment, with doors and a hallway branching off it. The complex of rooms turned out to be a long-forgotten living space for several people, including a kitchen & dining area, study (wizard found a couple of spell scrolls here), storage room, barracks (200gp, and some ruby dust, removed from footlockers) and officer's quarters, plus a laboratory with beakers and chemistry stuff. Crates in storage room had a mark that read "Hearthshore".

The leader's room had a trapdoor that opened onto a shaft down: climbing down leads to a viewing area that could observe the interior of the island if the perpetual storm wasn't obscuring everything. The room consisted of a narrow bridge over a space that was essentially a deep, man-made crevasse; from the bridge one could peer out through some arrow slits in the wall several feet away from the bridge. Several mud mephits had to be wiped out in this lower area.

The last room to explore upstairs was a classroom -- with several shadows protecting it! They drained a lot of strength from our front liners before they were eliminated. Chalkboards in the classroom suggest details of pulling energy from another plane to power some arcane contraption.

We took a LONG REST at this point.

S&S35: went back down to lower area, crossed the bridge, climbed shaft leading to a wizard's tower. Trapdoor in ceiling led to roof with a platform at the eye of the perpetual storm. The perfectly-preserved twisted body of a rather surprised wizard stood in suspended death-pose here; a staff partially embedded in the floor was also embedded *through* the mage's arm, with an orb of the type we've encountered before embedded in the staff. It appears an experiment with energy from another plane (seen on the chalkboards of the classroom) had gone horribly wrong, killing the caster and creating the perpetual storm. We used the anti-magic dirt we got from the magic-dead region, to create an anti-magic field around the staff. The orb shattered when the magic was cut (but no nothics, thanks to anti-magic shield). We were able to extract the staff, which turns out to be quite a powerful item (Staff of Gracious Movement)!

Io used his figurine of wondrous power, then "Beast Sense" on Peter Griffon; an aerial survey of the island revealed little else of note. We used "Wind Walk" (cast from from the new staff) to rapidly return to Port Harbor.

S&S35 (continued): The party arrived Port Harbor -- via Air Walk -- late in the day, and immediately noticed evidence of a major population explosion during the 23 days we were away (S&S12 through S&S35). A large tent village was now set up in part of the town, and in the evening light we could see quite a number of ships in the harbor. The streets were bustling with new colonists, and new businesses appeared to have occupied some of the empty buildings built before the previous year's famine and quiverlung outbreak. The military garrison appears to have expanded substantially as well. We were eager to get some sleep in the nice rooms Thorne had held for us during our journey!

S&S36: First thing the next morning, Sergeant Io reported in with 1st Sergeant Quellyn, while other party members reported what our expedition learned to Leckerton -- who was understandably disappointed we still hadn't reached the pass. That commission remains open.

S&S37 to S&S46: the party took 10 days off for rest & recuperation after our strenuous adventure. Io managed to get busted whilst carousing, and had to pay a fine to get out of jail.
During this time, we looked into setting up a smithy ("Buy the Sword") in the empty building next to Thorne's inn, and perhaps expanding the inn into the empty building on the other side. By the time we were done allocating money for property and other Sterling Edge expenditures, the remaining money was divvied up: each party member had a measly 13gp to show for our weeks in the wilderness!

S&S47: everyone completed their 10 days off, and Sterling Edge had a staff meeting to mete out the fabulous 13gp to each adventurer. We also got word that we had an appointment for the next morning...

S&S48: early morning audience with Princess Eshenbell! Quellyn was there, with a map showing (among other things) some inbound ships that seemed to be of interest to the princess. Eshenbell was very interested in our trip report, and gave Sterling Edge a secret royal charter to retain our services. She also approved our acquisition of buildings on either side of Thorne's inn -- and assured a big contract for Avey's smithy: "Buy the Sword" will be making arms for the garrison!

After that meeting, two storm-damaged ships arrived, with news of a third ship lost at sea. It turns out the lost ship had an important officer aboard, Captain Durik Aronthson, sent to take command of the enlarged garrison forces. Io had served with Capt Aronthson, and was saddened to hear of the loss of this fine officer. The two surviving vessels each had a platoon on them, and Io learned the platoon commanders were also officers he was familiar with: Lt Hefrin Almer, a fellow Fraithu worshipper who kept his platoon disciplined and drilled in tactics; and Lt Yorkshin Rove, who followed the wild ways of Gwagem and his platoon reflected his views. Io knew that these men -- and their platoons -- would not get along while sharing the garrison!

A hobbit named Lawrence ("Law" for short) also arrived on one of the storm-battered ships. He reviewed the guilds advertising around the docks, and decided to look into joining Sterling Edge Investigations. As he wandered the districts, he happened across a meeting in an alley: an elf and a 1/2-elf plotting to assassinate the princess! When he arrived at Thorne's to contact Sterling Edge, he reported the plot he just heard in the alley, and the guild went into action. Moradin turned into a housecat and raced to the garrison to advise the princess, while the rest of the party set out to find the assassins.

At the garrison Moradin the cat observed much tension and arguing amongst many of the soldiers there -- evidence that Lt Almer's troops and Lt Rove's troops were rubbing each other the wrong way (exactly as Io had predicted...).

Meanwhile, the party tracked the assassins to the Ravishing Barmaid, and Io had a chance to dally with his favorite bouncer, Shellyn while sneakier party members (Spontaloneus and Law) infiltrated the pub and observed the badguys. Unfortunately, Lt Rove and a few of his men showed up outside, and become unruly before they even got into the bar. Sergeant Io tried to intervene, but a fight broke out between the bouncers and the troops. Io did not hit anyone, but he did wind up shoving Lt Rove prone into the street -- embarrassing the lieutenant and cheering up the bouncers.

As trouble was brewing outside, Spontaloneus was attempting to pilfer one of the assassin's coinpurse at their table in the pub: the effort went badly awry, and the gnome wound up getting shot through the shoulder with an assassin's poisoned crossbow bolt! He dashed out the front, pushing by Lt Rove's men just as Io was shoving their lieutenant onto his ass...

S&S48 (continued): Session started right where we left off the week before -- Law (Lawrence, the new hobbit rogue) running away with poison crossbow bolt through his shoulder, assassins escaping out the back of the "Ravishing Barmaid", bouncers and Io standing over Lt Rove (who was just knocked on his ass on the street)...

Io made nice and bought a round for Lt Rove and his troops, tried to convince him that his Gwagem-worshipping boys would do will to serve outside the city, leaving Lt Almer in charge inside the walls. This may reduce tension between the platoons, and give Lt Rove and his platoon opportunity to fight threats as they approach the city. Lt Almer might have command, but he'll miss out on glory.

Law returned to Thorne's Abode, where Argent healed the nasty, infected wound (the elf hurled when he saw the wound!) and cured the poison.

S&S49: Next morning, a gnome appeared asking after Sterling Edge: we took him upstairs to our new private office. He is called "The Cook" (real name = Gelner Ironbottom), officially serves as Princess Eshenbell's personal chef...but on the sly also performs function of spy handler and subtle go-between. Given that Sterling Edge's royal commission is supposed to be secret, we need a contact that is not direct to the princess -- that will be The Cook's role. He commissioned Sterling Edge to investigate recent outbreak of quiverlung, for 150gp. We are to start by finding a supply of Silverfern, known to grow near springs and headwaters.

We went to temple of Damina to research silverfern (with help from a disciple of Damina named "ENYA"), then headed straight out to the Elo Enclave and spoke to Fenn that afternoon. Sadly, Fenn has heard nothing of the horses we abandoned in the woods to the north -- but he had an idea of where to look for silverfern.

We traveled two hours to a grove suspected to have a dryad living near headwaters of a stream. Calling out "Hey, Fey -- whadya say?" got us a dose of hurled pinecones, but also a whisper on the wind that gave us permission to proceed to the wellspring. The dryad ("GEO") had a transparent section in her abdomen, and an orb with a tiny tree could be seen in that space. We agreed to declare her region protected from civilization in exchange for some fresh silverfern. Moradin got a kiss on the forehead as well -- which transferred all knowledge needed to properly nurture a crop of silverfern! Meanwhile, a mischievous faerie dragon was haranguing the dragonborn, trying to steal the figurine Io was playing with. (Luckily Io got a great initiative roll for a change!)

We ventured back to the Enclave, arriving well after sundown -- a very long day indeed! Whilst bunking in the guest quarters, we discovered the faerie dragon from the grove had accompanied us: she seems to be fascinated with dragonborn, thinks we're akin. Io named her "MAERA". The little thing is barely out of the nest, but has no intention of returning home (she thinks she'll find adventure if she hangs with us!)...

S&S50: returned to Port Harbor, gave plants to Enya, Moradin started establishing silverfern grow operation.

We need to report in to The Cook, and inquire about establishing the prohibited zone we promised "Geo" (perhaps a royal decree?) while we are reporting our find of silverfern. Also need a hint for our investigation of quiverlung outbreak.

S&S50 (continued): One of Sgt Io's priorities was to introduce Lawrence ("Law") to "The Cook"; Law was recovering from his poisoned wound when Cook showed up early the previous morning, and missed the entire meeting. Having had a day-and-a-half of recovery time, the hobbit was now ready, so around mid-day Io and Law visited Cook's kitchen; Cook made it appear we were customers for some particularly good meat. All the while, thieves' cant was being used between Law and Cook, conveying our success in obtaining silverfern and delivering it to Damina's temple; Law also determined that Cook had no new mission for us. Pleased with our success, Cook provided a very fine cut of meat! Returning to Thorne's Abode, Io split half the meat to the rest of the group, and shared his half with Argent.

Later that afternoon, a wood elf -- Melerona -- appeared with a new commission for Sterling Edge: investigate deaths of miners in her panning operation west of Fellshore. Strapped for cash, she could only offer a share of her take in the claim; figuring an income stream might be better than a one-time commission, we accepted the share. (Felshin family has 80% share of the claim, so we're getting half of Melerona's 20% stake...)

Whilst outfitting for the trip to Fellshore, Io commissioned an artificer to make copies of the Bronze Griffon figurine -- hoping to distract pesky Maera from stealing the real one...

S&S51: (nice day)
The next morning, Io, Argent, Jared, Law, and Moradin traveled to Fellshore, stopping to check on Gary Oldman upon arrival later that morning. Io confronted the old man concerning his lie about having 500gp commission to escort him to Fellshore (when he actually had nothing!). Hoping to appease Io, Gary mentioned a hobbit, Threa, panning a claim upriver.

The group used Wind Walk (from the Staff of Gracious Movement) to travel west along the Elm River. As we approached the confluence of the North and South Elm Rivers, a couple of party members happened to observe a black splotch moving against the wind many leagues south of us -- probably a black dragon flying around. The two dragonborn flew on, oblivious to the rest of the party's investigation, and landed at the specified rally point near the edge of the woods. Meanwhile, Moradin came across a shiny dome in the woods a few miles south of the South Elm River, noting it as something to investigate later, then the splinter group proceeded to the rally point and reported the dragon and the dome to Io and Argent.

Continuing our flight west, we landed to study some pit traps Moradin spotted on the trail; when Law fell into one of the pits, a bunch of orcs and orc shamans attacked! They had a really big guy (an orog?) with them, and the battle was pretty tough. We recovered 61 lbs of gold dust, and some camping utensils -- apparently taken from victims of these marauders.

SHORT REST HERE.

Continuing our westward journey along the south fork of the Elm River, we noted a dead body in a field of assassin vines (the type the little starbrew deer live in): it looked like the dead guy's guts had been chewed up and then spit back into the body cavity from whence they came. Argent detected evil in the vicinity of the river's near bank, but it was on the other side of the assassin vine field, and Argent wasn't able to pin-point its location. The two (lawful good) dragonborn Wind Walked to the river bank to investigate the evil...

S&S51 (continued) RETCON: with Dave absent from this session, our DM decided the story flowed better if Dave's paladin had not detected evil at end of previous session, so he determined that Argent went back to Fellshore after the fight with the orcs and orog (perhaps to attend to some business with Gary Oldman)...

Also, one of the orc shamans had a mysterious wax-covered cube, measuring a few inches on a side -- although the solid cube within the wax is just a couple of inches on a side. Casting Detect Magic, we learned that (at least) *three* different schools of magic effect the box, including abjuration, conjuration, *and* transmutation! The wizard attempted to attune to the box, but only determined that it is some sort of magical container, with suspended animation part of the containment. Scraping the wax away is very difficult, and the wax regenerates very quickly; when the wax is removed, elaborate runes can be seen on the side of the cube.

We continued our westward trek, looking for Melerona's panning camp. We eventually noticed a dearth of bugs, and absence of animal noises -- and nearby we spotted a dead miner's body in a field of assassin vines. The man's guts appeared to have been ground up (or partially digested) and shoved back into his abdominal cavity -- and the guts detected as magical! Jareth recalled tales of a creature called an Amoren: a terrible experiment by an ancient wizard, the Amoren is said to rapidly consume it's prey, depositing digestive waste through an orifice in its belly almost as fast as it ingests the flesh. EW! We burned the body -- especially the guts that detect as magical -- in hopes of preventing gestation of another amoren.

We pressed on to Melerona's claim, an abandoned encampment with a permanent central building. A half-orc's body of was found north of the camp, its partially-digested guts deposited back into its abdomen (amoren style). Then Io was attacked by an amoren! The freakish amoren's bite paralyzed the dragonborn briefly, but the party quickly attacked -- Io recovered from his paralysis just in time to deliver the killing blow on the grotesque thing.

At this point, we had a late-lunch SHORT REST.

Io used his Beast Sense on a bird, and conducted an aerial surveillance: the bird noted a body on sandbar in a nearby river. We wind-walked over, determined the guts of this body had given birth to an amoren. We burned the body anyway. On the river bank, some tracks not amoren tracks led to an unfinished pit trap; we followed tracks of pit digger to a lean-to made the previous day, then to a tree trap. The wise guy elf decided to spring the tree trap right in Io's face and at that moment another amoren attacked! This amoren blinked in and out of existence in a most confounding way making for a very difficult fight; Moradin and Jareth each went down from massive critical hits taken during the course of the fight.

LONG REST HERE (after a very long day!)

S&S52(nice day): we followed some orc tracks that lead close to the river, but it appears that orc was attacked and killed by a bear. Another orc left tracks to a trap that appears to have gone off and killed the orc that was making it...

Having run out of orcs to track, we returned to Melarona's mining camp...

S&S52(continued)
Later that morning, Argent showed up and re-joined the party, and we set off to track orcs, trying to determine their numbers -- and whether orcs can be hosts for man-bear-pigs. After a few hours, we found some traps set by orcs (probably near their lair). Another hour on, we found trails made by humanoids -- probably orcs -- converging on a more heavily traveled trail. Jareth's flying familiar reconnaisance drone revealed a ziggarat inhabited by a full company of orcs. The orcs have set up scaffolding on one side (some 300' wide and more than 50' high) and are looting the place; there at least 80 orcs here! No sign of man-bear-pigs taking any interest in orcs...

We went back to Melerona's encampment, arriving late afternoon. Io frolicked in the river for 45 minutes, playing bait as the sun lowered in the sky (with Protection from Evil cast on him). Sure enough, amoren materialized and attacked the barbarian! With all the readied actions going off, it lasted all of two rounds...

After burning the Amoren's body, we had a nice dinner; then Io tried the same setup -- using Driftglobe in Daylight mode for illumination in the late evening darkness. Another Amoren did indeed attack, and it lasted three rounds this time -- but during the fight, Jareth's owl noticed a larger, tatooed Amoren-type creature was observing from across the river.

LONG REST in Leomund's Hut.

next day (S&S53) (drizzly), we laid our trap again (but Io didn't wade in) -- we killed two more amoren, and managed to hurt the tatooed thing as well (but it blinked away and did not return).

session ended here, mid-morning SHORT REST in tiny hut (Io used up all his hit dice recovering massive damage taken during fight)

S&S53 (continued, a little less drizzly)
Still at Melarona's encampment , the wizard did a ritual for Leomund's Tiny Hut, where we enjoyed a short rest and a nice brunch; during this time, Jared's flying familiar noted some campfire smoke upriver. In addition, Io found a bloody cooking stick floating by when he tried to cavort in the river again (this time the bait was not taken). Incidentally, the elf also thought he heard some dogs barking DOWNriver...

We investigated the campfire: a very bloodied up and morose orc, armor shredded and no weapons -- his mutilated tusks show he's been ostracized by his tribe. With much effort, we managed to learn his tribe has fallen under the influence of a naga, which he resisted. The naga is ordering his tribe to raid the ziggurat we saw south and east of Melarona's camp, but it is a dangerous undertaking: this orc believes that by getting orcs killed by traps -- without the honor of combat -- the naga is just wrong. He wants revenge on the naga, both for what it's doing to his tribe and for getting him kicked out. He revealed that the raiding operation is working on the south side of the structure, and the north side has little activity aside from occasional patrols.

We then investigated the barking heard the other direction: a pair of hobbits, riding dogs, were unaware of the big amoren stalking them as they rode upriver. We did our lone straggler gambit, and managed to kill the tatooed amoren -- hopefully the last one! Lawrence got a RING OF BLINKING from the Amoren's body! We returned to the encampment for the rest of the day, and spent the night.

S&S54 (sunny and humid)
We spent the day trekking towards the pyramid, dodging a few orc patrols as we got closer. Argent prayed for Find Steed this day, and now has a mighty horse companion/mount. We camped an hour or two north of the structure.

S&S55 (stormy and wet)
We approached the pyramid from the north, spied on it for an hour or so to determine the patrol schedule , waited for a 15-minute orc patrol to go by, and climbed up the north side unobserved. We did some clever sentry disposal at the top (hiding the bodies up on the north side), and went in. The paladin cast Sanctuary upon Io, and the sergeant promptly climbed the ladder down the narrow shaft, finding 4 orcs trying to loot the room below. They were eliminated, and we found another shaft down at the end of the only passage from the upper room -- it was completely dark below. Io gave Lawrence his Goggles of Night, and the hobbit was lowered by rope: a room full of embedded statues or relief carvings, all of ladies. They detect as magical...

A passage leading north took us to a plain room with a door leading north. The walls of this room have a little gap at the top...

Proceeding through the north door, most of the party wound up in a passage leading east-west, a door to the west. There are divots in the walls where orcs tries to chip away -- and it looks like the stonework is laid over a wall of force! Law tripped a lightning trap on the doorknob of that west door -- and all the walls started moving! Jared missed his DX save, and was cut off from the rest of the party! The walls moved again, and the elf found himself in an even smaller room, and even more isolated from the rest of the team...

S&S55 (continued; it is stormy outside, but we are underground)
Jareth didn't like being cut off from the rest of the party -- and he carries the Staff of Gracious Movement, so he he simply used a couple of charges to become gaseous: then he moved back to the party through the gaps at the top of the walls. Meanwhile, Lawrence tried to disarm the trapped knob again -- ZAP!! This time, wall movement revealed a band of frustrated orcs...

After the orcs were wiped out (the leader had plate armor -- which Io is carrying around -- and some kind of net made of fine wire mesh...), we opened the door into a 60' long, 20' wide room. Large urns dangled on chains from the ceiling a third and two-thirds of the way along the room. Two pedestals stand on either side of a door at the other end, suggesting a place to put the two urns. The chains hum with some kind of power...

Before messing with the urns, we took a SHORT REST: still gaseous, Jareth took the opportunity to wander through all the rooms he could reach along the ceiling. We now have a pretty good idea of the overall lay of this level, but the walls keep moving so the details change...

After resting, Io held up an urn whilst Moradin unraveled chain from it's post sticking out of the wall -- he got zapped by electricity for touching the humming chain, but found a way to do complete removal without touching the chain anymore. Argent and Jareth (no longer gaseous) did the same with the other one. Once the urns were on pedestals, the chains stopped humming and the door opened to a brick wall, loaded with a zillion darts that filled the room! In addition, the urns shattered and air elementals came out and attacked...

During the battle with the elementals, a secret door was revealed by the whirlwind one of 'em did near the corner of the room. After the fight -- and another SHORT REST -- we opened the secret door: a small room with a wooden door on the other side, and a lever. Law popped the hinges on the door: stairs lead down to another wooden door.

Before going down the stairs, we decided to complete our examination of this level, using the knowledge our elf gained whilst exploring as a gas cloud. We found a few rooms with craters from traps triggered by intrepid orcs, and a room that the orcs were using as an infirmary. We also found a room that the orcs hadn't entered: the dust in here was undisturbed. Law strode across the room and tripped a fireball trap! (the dust in the room is now disturbed...)

Law started being more careful, and checked the stone door across the fireball room -- and successfully disarmed the trap on that door! A 10' x 10' room with 5 square nooks, and lots of iconography on the walls -- some of which has been plastered over. Each nook had a potion or magic item in it! Having completed this level, we went back to the room with the stairs leading down. We found that pulling the lever resets the walls in the moving wall area! With that "trap" reset to protect us, we took a LONG REST in the room with the shattered urns.

Resting gave Law an opportunity to attune to his new cape, and we discovered the nature of the other magic items we found:

Law got a Cape of the Mountebank!
Argent got a Ring of Water Walking!
Argent also got a Potion of Invulnerability!
Moradin got a Potion of Resistance against Necrotic Damage!
Io got a +2 shield!

S&S56 (still underground -- don't know weather outside...)
We checked around for intruders that may have dropped in during the night, and found our rope had been pulled up. We went back to lever room, and determined that two pulls rearranges the moving walls walls in a seemingly random way. We left 'em randomized -- the orcs don't want us coming up, and we don't want them to be able to find us if they come down.

Going down the stairs, we found a wooden door that has been nailed shut from the other side. Our burly paladin busted it down with minimal difficulty. A 60' hall, all wood (including wood floor) with 3 doors along it's length; at the other end of the hall, we can see it turns and leads off to the right. There are fairly recent tracks of a small humanoid here.

The first door (unlocked) contained a domed dais with a sweet-looking girl in it -- the dome is heavily warded to keep her in. She sez her name is Shenna, and claims the nasty wizard "Ichbold" trapped her here. Moradin couldn't help noticing that her perfect hands and overly clean appearance conflicted with the simple peasant garb she wore, so the paladin tried his Divine Sense: blocked! This roused our suspicion, so we left Shenna in her dome.

The next door on the right is a storage room, but it looks like a hobbit is using it as a bedroom; across from that room we found a study, with a desk on a raised dais.

Around the corner from the study, the passage turned and led to another door -- this one heavily reinforced. Looking through the peephole, we could make out some kind of library. We could also hear bird noises, as if a window in that room opened to the outdoors...

Opening the door, we found it is a secret door from the other side, disguised as one of the bookshelves in this small library. A journal sits open on the main desk. We could feel a sense of powerful magic transporting us as we crossed the threshold -- this room is not under the temple! We are on the 2nd floor of somebody's home, with a quiet street outside, and the sound of somebody raking leaves in the yard. We verified the secret door allows 2-way travel back from whence we came.

Looking out the window, we noted this town is populated by a few denizens we didn't expect: among the usual humanoids, there are also couple of orcs (not half-orcs), kobolds, and black dragonborn. The cobblestone streets seem ordinary enough, so these creatures seem a little out of place. A sharp-eyed party member spotted a sign with the word "El Trask" on it: the morose orc we encountered the other day had mentioned a place called "El Trask"...

Law went downstairs, found a kitchen: being a hobbit, he promptly put a kettle on. Meanwhile, Jareth studied the journal -- noting an entry concerning Shenna: she is identified as a succubus that killed a local noble! Io and Argent went back through the portal to the temple's underground, and double-checked Shenna's room to make sure she was all secure. Meanwhile, Moradin used his druidic powers to determine the relative latitude of town we were in: we are now well south -- maybe even a hundred miles south -- of the temple we started in.

The whistling of the kettle drew the attention of whoever was raking in the yard, and a hobbit women came in to investigate: Law promptly offered her some tea, and while she was off-guard, we learned her name is "Shyne". When she learned we had come in via portal in the library, she got furtive, and she seemed very surprised to see a wood elf with the party -- saying she's more accustomed to seeing drow elves...

We learned this little town is 10 miles northwest of El Trask, and is called Little Sister. (We believe this region was once the realm of one of the old highborn, Glothen.) Shyne is the housekeeper for Ichbold, the hobbit wizard that owns the tower we arrived in. The ruler of this area, "The Shah", called Ichbold away well over a year ago, and he never returned...since that time, The Shah (apparently the naga that is controlling the orcs trying to raid the ziggurat we were in) has sent goons to ransack Ichbold's tower a couple of times over the last year, but they never found the portal in the library. The authorities around here wear a readily identifiable gauntlet on their right hand. Shyne is the only surviving servant (she successfully hid from the goons).

Later that day, Jareth -- who spent most of the day studying Ichbold's notes -- called us together to demonstrate his discovery that the portal can be switched to other places. One place had angry elementals waiting for us...Jareth quickly changed the channel! We also saw an alley, which Ichbold's notes label "Nine Hells".

S&S57 (nice day)
Shyne made the group a fine breakfast, over which we decided to nub that angry air elemental we saw through the portal -- so we can raid the library! Evidently the elemental had no idea how the portal works, so it was at a severe disadvantage as we blasted it with ranged attacks through the open gateway. We went through, and noted that from the library side the portal looks like just a black void in the wall when open (and blank stone when not open)...

We investigated the library: all the shelves were protected by magical glass -- everything not behind glass was completely shredded by the raging elemental. One of the shelves held a bust of Ichbold: the hobbit wizard had imbued part of his spirit into the bust, so it can explain that the books here are bogus: his real library is hidden where the pages are missing from the teleport directory book. He also noted that if this bust of him is active, it means he is dead. (And Shyne inherits his household.)

We must retrieve the missing pages from Alestar, who has an office in the "Nine Hells" area...

Arriving in The Nine Hells, we were surprised to discover that we were simply ignored by the denizens of hell -- even the paladin: it turns out this pocket dimension is a sort of planar nexus, and there appears to be a standing King's 'X' so planar travelers can meet and trade. Devils and hellhounds wander the streets without attacking, even with all manner of folk -- including seemingly normal good-guy adventurers like us -- just wandering the streets along side 'em. There is an overall gothic theme to the architecture. Lawful avengers stand guard and keep order. We asked one where we can find Alestar: a sort of obelisk creature appeared and guided us to the 3rd floor of a mighty structure.

The two dragonborn decided to stay outside, whilst Jareth, Law, and Moradin proceeded to Alestar's office (Io wound up spending 10gp on ale and "beef" jerky). At Alestar's office, a woman who seemed to serve as Alestar's secretary directed the elf, hobbit, and druid change out of their own clothes/armor, and into some provided robes -- claiming this helped ensure Alestar's safety. They entered a large living area with comfortable furniture and pillows, where Alestar -- a very large human (apparently) -- was reading to a pair of scantily-clad succubi. Law managed to say something wrong, and Alestar stopped reading, putting down the book to dismiss the hobbit. He then cordially invited Jareth and Moradin to dine with him.

Over dinner, Alistar learned of our quest for the missing pages, and agreed to turn 'em over if the party could retrieve a precious gem from a Medusa named Mirith on the 4th floor. Alestar also casually imparted the language Infernal into Jareth's mind -- and incidentally changed Jareth's alignment to chaotic in the process! Moradin hit it off with one of the succubi, and they went off together for some fun...

Meanwhile, outside in the food court, Io had determined the "beef" jerky was actually teifling! He complained, got proper jerky -- and a "fun chit" to make up for the botched order. Io had no difficulty finding a fun place to use his fun chit; he had fun with a very pleasing female dragonborn. Argent felt uncomfortable with the whole scene, and returned to Ichbold's library.

Jareth and Law proceeded to the 4th floor, and found Mirith to be a very agreeable trader: she wanted unusual magic items, so Jareth gave her the prison-cube with the chain demon in it, and she readily surrendered Alestar's gem. Law then just had to push it, trying to bargain for more; he was rebuffed, but no harm came of it.

At this point, we all went back to Ichbold's house (now Shyne's house), and took a LONG REST.

S&S58 (weather unknown -- doesn't matter, because we returned to the Nine Hells)
Io decided once again to not meet Alestar, and ordered more beer and jerky at the food court. The rest of the party met with Alestar, exchanged the gem for the missing pages -- and then Law managed to push the bargain for something more -- and succeded (several more fun chits). The greedy hobbit just keeps pushing it!

Meanwhile, a wandering succubus charmed Io as he sat alone drinking his beer and eating his beef jerky...

having accomplished the page-finding mission, we returned to Ichbold's house and relaxed the rest of the day, then took a LONG REST.

S&S day 60 (nice day): (BTW the 60th day of Sun & Shade season is known as the Day of Oath Binding)

Io had a (charm) dream, wherein the lovely silver dragonborn (succubus) Io met at the food court had a pleasant conversation (interrogation) with Io about Port Harbor -- including defensive layout and order-of-battle information...

This home around Ichbold's tower seems to be an add-on; we've noted townsfolk don't generally approach this tower -- apparently in accustomed deference to the mighty figure that once resided here...

Over a very plain breakfast, Io lamented over his two-amorous-interests problem -- he's all excited about the silver dragonborn he befriended at the brothel, but now is (magically) infatuated with the one who approached him at the Nine Hells food court...

After brekkie, Law made a quick trip back to the Nine Hells, exchanged all the fun chips he had nabbed for 450gp in platinum cash...when Io got his 9 platinum share, he gave 1pp to Argent, so the paladin would have a full 10pp -- and can buy a fun-chit to help Io's femme fatale d-born friend at the brothel (but Argent won't go there)...

The party then made a mid-morning trip to Ichbold's real library, using the new pages we got from Alestar: a very large cylindrical room, 80' high and 60' in diameter -- the portal we arrived through is on a balcony at the top. Nine stories of glass-enclosed shelves: far too much to do anything with now, something to come back to later...

Argent convinced the party do a late-morning extermination of the evil succubus held in Ichbold's holding cell. The assassination went well! Moradin and Io also played with the lever that randomizes the layout of the pyramid's lowest level: the sound of surprised orcs screaming out was surprisinglly satisfying...

Going back and investigating Ichbold's library some more, we met a hobbit simulacum holding another vestige of Ichbold: it was impressed that we "passed a test". It wanted to deal mostly with Jareth...perhaps our elf can be Ichbold's successor as local archmage! The simulacrum identified a tiefling-esque bust of Ichbold (behind a locked glass panel) as a more powerful vestige. Law was able to open the lock handily: once he started conversing with this bit of Ichbold, Jareth quickly learned it has a real attitude problem...

This bust gave Jareth a powerful, sentient necklace...the elf put it on (of course), and was promptly POSSESSED! Becoming LAWFUL EVIL, Jarith suddenly got a real bad attitude -- and a strong desire to ruin the naga's life! (Io jabbed the tiefling-esque bust, and it crumbled...all the magic was in the pendant all along...)

Meanwhile, Law tried to open another of the library's cabinets, got zapped. Jareth just casually opened the same cabinet (empowered as he was by the amulet of Ichbold's vestige) and pulled out some maps...

We had a staff meeting, then Law and Moradin went into town to scope out the local scene...the two wound up in a bar with drow/orcs/black d-born and the like. Investigation checks noted the drow observing our heroes, then leaving; the orcs seem to be very much on their best behavior, in order to fit in with this otherwise ordinary town setting; Law picked up on some grumblings that Stevinson's taxation is overly burdensome, and rumor of a meeting of Stevinson's town council later today. Then a 'red-glove' walked in -- and everybody shut up...Law's snide remarks got him punched in the face by the red-glove...

Meanwhile, Argent talked Io out of going back to the Nine Hells to look for his new love -- but she echoed thoughts in Io's head about meeting her right outside Ichbold's house later for a tryst...

Over a late lunch in Ichbold's kitchen, Law and Moradin reported the encounter with a red-glove, and after lunch the whole party went into town -- the presence of two silver dragonborn and other strangers creating a bit of a stir. Law was stealthing his way as we went: when we got to the bar, the red-hand that punched Law was standing guard at the entrance; when he got a little mouthy, he was promptly assassinated by the hidden hobbit.

The party entered to find out who this Stevinson guy was -- but a fight with the evil leaders of this community broke out immediately! They were pretty tough, with a dangerous spell-caster doing quite a bit of damage, and the ensuing battle claimed two party caualties: Jareth, and Law...but the baddies were all terminated in the end.

The surviving party members (druid and both dragonborn) grabbed whatever loot they could -- including the bodies of the elf and the hobbit -- and high-tailed it back to Ichbold's tower.

S&S DAY 60
Back in Port Harbor, we distributed wealth -- and the magic items from fallen characters:
- Cape of Mountebank to Avey;
- Ring of Blinking to Argent;
- +1 leather to new guy (gnome named 'Tab');
- potion of Necrotic damage Resistance to Io;
- Jareth's staff and Necklace of Fireballs to Moradin;

Avey visited the docks, and recruited a replacement for our lost rogue: 'Tag' -- a gnome, who promptly started using his minor magics to provoke the dwarf! While at the docks, Avey noted a band of assassins arriving...

Argent, Io, and Moradin took 10 days OFF (downtime), caroused in memory of the fallen. Io had a fabulous romantic affair -- with the lovely dragonborn (succubus, going by the name "Akra") he met in Nine Hells(!)

Io also spent time playing with the baby psuedo-dragon -- whom he named "little Sterling" -- but the dragonette emphatically avoids Akra whenever she's around...

Io bought 3 potions of healing, spent the rest of his share of cash on contribution to buy 300gp in diamonds for Revivify (Avey already has 2 doses), Starbrew for Tag, and trinkets for his new love. Io will be saving up for a +1 shield for Avey to craft.

It's hot, city is crowded and dirty -- yuck! Akra and Io spent days hiking outside of town...we learn that tension between LT Rove and LT Almer seems to be abated a little now that Rove is responsible for patrols outside, while Almer's men patrol inside the city walls.
____________________________________

Io reported to "The Cook" -- who asked us to keep an ear out for happenings of Lord Edwick (bought house near temple -- likely intrigue against the princess); Io told The Cook that Sterling Edge's away team would be traveling north, to make contact with the dwarven kingdom on the other side of realm of black dragonborn -- but Spontaloneus would remain in town, monitoring Sterling Edge's affairs.

Moradin heard warnings about a ruined tower along the way north to the black Dragonborn lands, so we decided investigate along the way...

S&S day 71 (hot and dry)

After an early brekkie (Tag's 2nd dose of Starbrew), we trekked north to Elo Enclave; on the way, we noted quite a bit of urban sprawl on the road -- but not much change at the enclave. An hour north of the Elo Enclave, we uses the Staff of Gracious Movement to start Air Walking.

We visited the 'ursa-kin', asked about the ruined tower; also, collected some more anti-magic dirt (Io and Tag carry 1/2-pound each). Then we air-walked to Rorik Lake, looked in on our handiwork -- the severly weather-beaten tower has not changed.

Traveling south along the river-bank of the "South Rorik River", Io used his Beast Sense ritual on a local birdie: the aerial recon spotted a squad of centaurs several miles upriver, then the tower a couple of miles or so past the centaurs -- to the east of the "South Rorik River". We air-walked past the centaurs, landing on the east bank approximately due west of the ruin.

We spotted a skeletal minotaur near the leaning ruins of a tower canted nearly 40 degrees from vertical; we approached the tower from the opposite side, destroyed the big skeleton, and entered the tower...

Tab entered the central core of the tower, climbed down to foundation, found underground passage...stairwell at other end...gnome found a room full of skeletons, which we wiped out...no treasure...

Progressively lower silt line suggest this cellar floods periodically. Two silt-filled rooms are empty...stairs down to water-filled hallway that goes 30', branches off in a 'T', with a gold-plated room 10' short of the end. A mural of a water-based scene with stars above (shrine to Rhione, maybe?) is etched into the gold plating.

Moradin ventured down the stairs into the flooded hallway first; Io swam after him. Argent crawled on the surface (Ring of Water Walking). Silt and debris is suspended throughout the water, and larger debris covers the floor.

...swimming down the submerged corridor, we discovered a room shortly after the stairs that made the hallway mostly submerged, 15' square, with another gold mural -- there is something casting a shadow in the middle of the room; we can tell the hallway leads to a 'T' intersection further on...

Moradin explored the room: the sediment stirred up bY his movements made the water too murky to see much detail. A 6' x 4' block (sarcophagus, maybe?) is the source of the shadow in the middle; the mural shows defeated dwarves being enslaved by Ethan's dragonborn. The 6' x 4' block has a heavy lid -- the two dragonborn barely managed to move it: it is a solid block (there's no hollow within).

At the 'T', left hall goes about 10' to a metal door; to the right is a 30' corridor opening into a large room.

The icy cold water was taking it's toll on the druid: being late afternoon, Sergeant Io decided the team should take the rest of the day off. Moradin rustled up a fine "Euell Gibbins"-type dinner, and took first watch. Near midnight, he saw spectres rise out of the grass around the tower! During the fight, Io drank his (unverified) potion of Necrotic Resistance -- it worked to halve damage, but it also made Io believe every body in the party was also a specter! He actually smacked his clutchmate (Argent) a couple times before the effect wore off...

S&S day 72: We finished our long rest; in the morning, Io had some Starbrew! As did Tag and Moradin -- we plan on having a daily cup forever more. We spent the morning getting more Starbrew beans down by the river; after lunch, we went into the water and explored. The metal door to the left (from the 'T') is just a wood door with wide rusted banding -- easily obliterated.

The 20'x20' room beyond had exits left and right -- filled with skeletons! Avey channeled positive energy to destroy a bunch, the rest succumbed to our weapons. The rooms they were in are dead ends.

Going left from the 'T', we found a windlass -- rusted solid -- that apears to operate a platform that goes down. A small room adjacent had a switch: "flood" and "drain"; the gnome switched it to "drain". A sort of "*wump*" could be heard/felt through the water, so we headed back to the dry steps. In fact, we could see the water level slowly going down, so we went out for a short rest.

An hour later, the water had drained 1.5 feet; we decided to let it drain overnight.

S&S day 73: In the morning, Io, Moradin, and Tag had another cup of Starbrew. Moradin spent just one hour getting Starbrew beans. Around 9am we went downstairs: the water has drained (and it stinks pretty bad). Moradin did a ritual for Detect Magic, and we searched -- finding no magic at all. We decided to descend into the shaft (where a platform once traveled) to a lower level. We hear a sort of 'sizzling' or 'hissing' noise somewhere down there...

The 30' x 35' room at the bottom of the 60' shaft narrows to 20' wide at the end opposite the bottom of the shaft; it is full of detritus, except for two 10' x 10' squares that look kinda clean -- which turned out to be gelatinous cubes! the gnome tried to climb down the rope, promptly slipped and fell 60'...both Moradin and Tag got engulfed at some point...Tag was *KILLED* by Moradin's Moonbeam! Avey's REVIVIFY brought him back to life a couple of rounds later, however.

A ruined door on the narrower wall leads to a 25' corridor with empty bays on either side, and a door at the other end; past that door is what looks like a throne room -- with a perfectly dry floor. Roots have penetrated the ceiling...and there is a plate of stone spikes over a door across the room.

Argent went in and sat on the throne -- a pair of wraiths promptly appeared out of the throne! Avey succesfully TURNED UNDEAD right away, and both wraiths fled without effecting the party in any way.

Searching the room, we found nothing of value. The door that is protected by the overhead spike trap leads to a balcony looking into a very large natural cavern -- the 'balcony' was once a landing at the top of some long stairs leading down to the cavern floor; it appears the stairs switched back-and-forth to a landing straight down on the cave floor...

so we dropped a long rope, and started lowering ourselves down -- that's when those two wriaths re-appeared!

S&S DAY 74 (continued)
The two wraiths that were attacking us as we descended the rope at the end of last session were finally destroyed -- without managing to life-drain any of us (although Avey got crit'd pretty good by an Opportunity Attack, luckily he made his save!) after quite a fight that used up a few of Io's +1 arrows...

Once we were all on the cavern floor, we easily determined that what was once a heavily-used trail lead away from the landing, heading across the floor of the very large (perhaps 100' across?) cavern...

Although a little early for lunch, the battle with the wraiths had been pretty rough: we decided to climb back up the rope, and take a SHORT REST in the throne room (doing our best to ignore the stink). Then we investigated the sizzling noise from the grates in the adjacent gelatinous cube room: the water dribbling through the grates is sizzling in the darkness below -- so we destroyed the rusted grate and looked in. There is a shaft leading down from each grate to some kind of sand-filled room; the water (and Avey's spit) sizzles and disappears when it hits the sand. (A bit of dropped debris from the destroyed grate doesn't melt, so only liquid appears to be effected.) We lowered Tag in on rope, and he used Mage Hand to scoop some up: when he touched the sand, it instantly sucked the moisture from his flesh! This whole cellar is a huge bed of powerful magical dessicant -- evidently used when the "drain" function is activated in the basement above.

Moradin and Tag each grabbed a vial of this magical super-dessicant...

Rather than start an underground expedition after mid-day, Sergeant Io called another early knock-off for the day, and Moradin collected another 8 doses of Starbrew beans as an afternoon activity. The undead horse was moved, to trim a new section of the tower's lawn. We took a LONG REST; in the morning, Io, Moradin, and Tag had their daily dose of Starbrew.

S&S DAY 75: Re-entering the depths of the cavern, we followed the well-worn trail: it went through a fissure that has clearly been widened by the trail-makers. We traveled through two additional very large caverns and into a third over the hour or so: around what we guessed was mid-day, we arrived at an underground pond blocking the path. One dose of magic super-dessicant soaked up enough water that the pool wasn't blocking our way anymore! We hiked another hour, and come across a slick area of flowstone leading into a room full of mushrooms. Avey slipped on the flowstone, and skittered down into the mushrooms, followed by Io. The gnome pranced across easily -- only to discover a roper on the ceiling...

After a fairly difficult fight with the roper, we proceeded through large caverns for another hour, arriving at the entry of what may be an even more vast cavern -- we cannot tell how far away the walls are filled with very large mushrooms. The trail has been recently disturbed here. Avey readily determined evidence of druegar: Io asked Avey to leave a note requesting the druegar contact our office in Port Harbor to discuss an alliance with our home city: Avey's actual note said something different, and was delivered "druegar-style" (so Avey claimed).

We headed back towards the basement of the leaning tower. Along the way, we encountered a xorn standing on the path, demanding coin: after a vicious demonstration of our combat power, it chose to earth-glide away and stop bothering us...

We made it back to the tower and took a LONG REST. Moradin scrounged up another 5 doses of Starbrew...

S&S day 76: after our morning cup of Starbrew, Argent and Avey accompanied Tab into the sub-basement to collect some more of that magic super-dissecant, while Io escorted Moradin to an assassin-vine field to collect more Starbrew berries (he got 5 more doses worth; minus this morning's 3 cups, we had 14 doses at this point...)

Using the staff of travel, we cast Wind Walk and took to the air, flying *up* the river -- taking us south, then west, until the river petered out. From there we flew straight toward Mount Rook. As we got close, this time we noticed a vast fortress built on the shoulder of the mountain. Hobgoblin traffic was pretty heavy.

We flew over Rook Mountian, and observed that beyond is numerous mountian-tops poking above the morning mist - an extensive mountain range! We landed on the west side of Mt Rook, as far down as we could go without flying into the mists (we didn't want to plow into trees or buildings whilst flying along at high speed...). We quickly found a lightly used dirt trail -- but then we noticed a patch where some ancient cobblestone was exposed beneath deposited sedimentary soil. It's clear there was once a well-made stone-paved thoroughfare here, but it has been forgotten long enough to have a substantial layer of dirt accumulate over it.

Half-an-hour along the steep trail, we found a stone foundation of a ruined large building: it looks like campers routinely encamp here -- in fact, it is clear somebody used the fire ring last night! There were a half-dozen or so campers, who evidently have some oxen or something with them.

Continuing down the trail, we found some flattened trees from some kind of landslide that (sometime in the last few days) blasted down a steep slope across a the trail just before a switchback. We heard something ahead, and while some of the party hid immediately, apparently Argent and Moradin started yelling at each other (judging by the nat '1' each rolled for Stealth check)...a band of hobgoblins, with a pair of human slaves and a pair of aurochs. We slaughtered the hobgoblins, made friends with the humans ("Frash" and "Mullin").

Frash and Mullin are from a village called Wellhaven -- and know little of any other place. They work for food provided by the hobgoblin nation. The aurochs are pack animals carrying large pack-saddles full of loot, including some gems (20 @ 20gp each), some dusty tomes, and a map on uncured leather. Their name for Mt Rook is Hathaway...

Where the mountains transition to foothills, a cursed zone of land -- called The Thrashing -- is said to have scary monsters. We set out to get past The Thrashing before nightfall, but wound up camping just before the danger zone -- still in foothills. After we set up camp, a horrible odor wafted across the camp, reminiscnet of rutting troll; one showed up shortly afterward; it had a freaky mutant arm. We didn't have too much trouble destroying it; the rest of the night passed uneventfully.

LONG REST

S&S day 77: After our morning starbrew (11 doses remain), we proceeded up the next ridge of foothills and down the other side; as we approached 'The Threshing', the trees were so covered in moss that some of them have been smothered to death by it. The road has been mostly destroyed and overgrown by the eagerly encroaching vegetation. Travel is single-file, with the Avey in Argent in front, the aurochs and humans in the middle, and the rest in back.

About twenty minutes into The Threshing, large freaky tree bugs with vicious stingers attacked -- they were tough! The gnome fell in battle again, as did both Frash and Mullin -- and both aurochs...it was a little touch-and-go there for the rest of the party! We did finally manage to prevail...

Just after the stick-bug ("woodling") fight, a boy named "Elk" and his hound ("Sane") ran up -- he heard the fighting and ran to help. He thought we were "Kendu" (humans colaborating with the Hobgoblins): when we said we were not kendu, he lead us to a hidden safe spot in the Threshing. He verified that nazi hobgoblins rule on this side of Mount Hathaway...he described the territory: 4 towns, nestled between Hathaway, Mount Evercloud and Mount Cloudhelm. Streams lead past each village, flowing to a lake called "Blue Water". Centaurs live to the west.

As we air-walked west for a bit, we espied a "Tempest" (humongous elemental).

We flew the length of Blue Water: there are many boats on the gigantic lake, and a few lakeside communities. Then we followed a tributary southwest, then another river east until it petered out. We continued east, noting giant standing stones marking boundary of "giant dwarf" territory (we went around, honoring their airspace).

We got back to Port Harbor, and divided up to attend to our personal affairs. Leckerton paid off the 300gp commission for exploring beyond the pass -- plus 175gp for a coin from the region beyond the mountains! With the gems and chalice, Io distributed a dose of new wealth:

180gp to each party member...

Back at our guild office, we collected messages left in our absence: Lord Edwith sent a retainer to snoop around the smithy, offer to invest in our business (the cook suggested we rebuff such overtures)...

Moradin had business at Damina's temple...

We heard reports that the colony at FellShore is expanding, with homesteading grants for farms and lumber camps to the west of the reclaimed village. Enyun have been killed...

"The Cook" told Io that LT Rove has a commision for Sterling Edge: western frontier is encountering dryads -- which he wants exterminated. We told him we would deal with them "appropriately"...(50gp for each dryad's head)

Io's 'girlfriend', Akra, arrived and was waiting for Io (the fairy dragon suddenly disappeared immediately upon her arrival) when we returned from our errands...Io hurried through dinner and guildmoot to 'get to bed early' (high reaction die roll indicated he had a very enjoyable evening!)...

LONG REST

S&S day 78: the 3 Starbrew addicts had thier 3 doses of Starbrew, then Io, Moradin, and Tag went to The Cook to turn off the bounty on dryads.

After that -- while the day was young -- the adventuring crew headed up the (essentially)new road west, then over to the dryads; by lunchtime, we came across a homestead that has clear-cut the claim -- unnecessarily felling all trees, whereas some other homesteads have been more practical in their tree cutting...we spoke with 'Shawn' (more practical guy). we advised him to "not foment war with the natives"...

The homesteader led us to a squad of "soldiers", but we determined they are charmed by a dryad. While Io spoke to the mercs, Moradin explained the situation to the dryad -- and asked her to pass on our intent. She asked us deal with whatever is corrupting the river in the vicinty of Vello's encampment.

We decided to visit Vello...during battle with Vello and his two henchmen, TWO carrion crawlers popped out of Vello's corpse! After the fight, someone cast Detect Magic, and we determined one of the baddies had a magic (+2) dagger, and a magic black book; also 300gp, and 150gp in gold dust...but no orb. We determined the whole area is desecrated, and needs consecration...

The black tome has pages of human skin -- with goose bumps which constitute braille (but nobody wanted to touch it to read it)!

thouroughly searching Vello's lair, we found a secret panel in one wall -- revealed by the partial collapse of the floor -- with 60 PLATINUM coins! Also, several pounds of personal papers from Vello's various victims...we need to take 'em to Damina, to release the owner's souls...

also, a lockbox on one of the wagons contained a bright gold amulet, with Damina's symbol on it -- it's magical! (AMULET OF HEALTH!!!) (paladin got it)

when we burned the house, it smelled extra bad; the gross spooge that welled out of the occupant had soaked the entire structure. It burned all night -- we camped on the river bank, to monitor the conflaguration through the night...a pair of shadow demons and a vrock showed up -- possibly drawn by the dark mist being emited by the burning building...after destroying them (nasty fight), we threw their bodies on Vello's burning cabin.

S&S 79 (mostly cloudy day)

In the morning, we had our Starbrew (bringing us down to 6 doses remaining); we then spent the whole day here as well -- throwing more wood on (to extra burn out the evil), whilst Avey built a shrine to Damina (hoping to consecrate the site). The next night, another vrock came in and stole Tag's back pack; it was definitely after Vello's black book of goosebump pages -- but it got most of Tag's stuff, too! The vrock took off to the north...

S&S 80 (bright and sunny)

3 more doses of Starbrew later (oh, no! we're down to only three!!), we took the next day to search for Tag's stuff (and, incidentally, the vrock/black book). We paused briefly to talk a posse out of attacking the nearby enyun hive. Then we were accosted by a patrol of sprites: we've entered their territory!

They report the vrock dropped off Tag's pack in front of a particular tree; the vrock left something else there a few weeks earlier, and a human (bearing the insignia of the Grey Hooves) came and picked up what the vrock dropped off. We went to the particular tree, and recovered Tag's pack. We left the book under the tree, and waited for the human to come and pick it up...

The human arrived innocently enough, and picked up the black book of doom. Within a few minutes, the rest of the party (Io was in the midst of Speak with Animals ritual) approached and exchanged pleasantries. When queried about the demon-book, he got rather defensive...he may be involved in some kind of intrigue within the Grey Hooves organization...

We let the man go, and traveled to the nearby enyun hive; after warning the queen there of the potential for unprovoked attack by humans, we asked her and her hive to avoid conflict. They report some radical druids have been using some enyun stingers to frame the enyun for attacks on humans! This is important information!

We proceeded back to Port Harbor: the place is a zoo, as Gwagem's festival is winding down. Io distributed the loot from Vello's cabin:

each party member get 12 platinum coins!

Io & Tag went to The Cook, while Moradin & Argent went to the Grey Hooves.

The Cook said the princess is busy, but will meet with us tonight at our guild offices (in the guise of "girl's night out" with her handmaidens). Io went to the Garrison after visiting The Cook, but MSgt Quellyn was "indisposed"...

At the Grey Hooves' HQ, Moradin explained what happened with their guy -- who seems to be working with a demon -- and volunteered to deliver the book (once their guy gets the book back here, in a couple of days) to a final customer (as a member of the Grey Hooves himself)...

after lunch, we flew out to kill the Night Hag -- sure hope we get back in time for our meeting with the princess!

Instead of going after the hag -- likely to make us late to our appointment with the princess -- Io escorted Moradin on a starbrew-berry gathering trip near the mining camps: we got 6 berries in two hours.

While Io and Moradin were wind-walking, Tag snooped around the harbor area: no ships during festival (expect a surge of ships a couple of weeks after the festival).

Late that afternoon, the kitchen staff of Thorne's Abode was a little put out by the short-notice demand for a princess-friendly dinner. Also, Akra showed up: Io enthusiastically invited her to dinner with the princess -- but Avey objected...then the fearie dragon disappeared, and this lead to Argent using his Divine Sense! Argent attacked immediately!! The succubus promptly went ethereal (immediately after being hit with Divine Smite), and got away.

The princess showed up, had a private dinner, and then carried out official business. We advised her about potential for war with the enyun, if Lt Rove continues his policies unchecked. Io also advised her that he had been compromised by the succubus' "honey trap".

Afterward, Io spent time detailing (to Avey & Moradin, who took notes) exactly what information he may have shared with the evil succubus.

LONG REST!

day 81 (cloudy day -- but no rain)

After our morning dose of Starbrew, we researched hags a bit; we then set out to find the one bothering the western frontier. We followed trails (on foot) until they trended south. We found plenty of homesteaders along the way, but mostly just subsistence farming.

We ended up in an area that will likely become a hobbit community -- about 60 of 'em -- with a human farm (about 30 hands) across the way. There is a third plot of land that appears to have experienced arrested development.

The hobbits report some lumberjacks had been working the 3rd plot -- and then one day they were just gone. 'Vrick' sez he can cut any uncut gems we might find. They had a purple wagon allocated for some sick little folk; Avey went to try and heal the sick -- but they seem less like they're sick and more like they're 'drained'...

The dragonborn 'escorted' Moradin as he approached the humans -- but first we veered over to the partially cleared area, and Argent used Divine Sense on the woods (nothing noted). Then we went over and met 'Estin' (community leader); he notes that he had some members who grew 'sick' and died (but nobody currently sick). 'Esmera' (ropemaker) gave us the nickle tour -- but at Moradin's prompting, Argent used Divine Sense: she's the hag! Moradin had the paladin stand down, so we can further assess the situation...

Io purchased 100' of good hempen rope, from Esmera's sister.

We had afternoon tea with the hobbits, then dinner with the humans. Avey espied a shadowy woman-esque figure furtively lurking near the wood's edge during the first meal, reported it as we proceeded to dinner. Esmera claimed her sister was going into the woods to find some mushrooms. The two dragonborn each tried some mushroom soup (it turns out Io hates mushroom soup).

We had our own watches that night, with Io and Moradin taking 3rd watch. Moradin and Argent had really bad dreams (as they slept during 1st watch)! During 2nd watch, Moradin alerted Argent that the hags are probably on the ethereal plane, so the paladin activated his Ring o' Blinking -- and spotted them! Next blink, one of the hags zotted Argent with Magic Missiles, then they ran away. Io slept through the whole thing!

LONG REST (for Io, Avey, and Tag only -- Argent and Moradin were afflicted by the hag's Dream spell...)

day 82 (cloudy again)

After an early morning dose of Starbrew, we set out tracking through the woods. We found tracks that start out of nowhere: evidently the hags depart their lair ethereally, then materialize and walk in. We followed along the direction the track came from, finding dropped axes and evidence of lumberjacks disappearing. Small animals started disappearing and reappearing; we caught one, and it told us where to find a cave -- but right then a nice old gnome lady showed up where the bird was indicating.

We proceeded towards their cave, encountering some random shadow/illusion effects as we went...then a couple of shambling mounds appeared out of nowhere! one engulfed Moradin...twice...

About a mile later, we came across a mighty boulder with a hole under it -- it's (probably) their 'lair'! Some redcaps appeared outside: they managed to trample Io a bit before we wiped 'em out...

We entered the cave, descending through a passage to a lower door: beyond was a large cave-like room -- with one hag and a glaive wielding oni standing around; the hag in the room ran out after Io (using up his last rage) got the killing blow on the oni...

Io bashed through the door that the hag escaped through: a narrow, rather rough-hewn passage, with a crumbly-looking ceiling; there's a spiked pit at the other end passage, and nothing else. Avey carefully entered and peered down the pit, then took the door Io bashed and dropped it onto the spikes below, crating a safe raised floor. We lowered the gnome on some rope: below is a short passage leading north to a low-ceiling room with 2 chairs and hearth, roots poking through the walls everywhere. Boot tracks and footprints suggest quite a lot of traffic down here...

There are 4 exits from the hearth room: we came in from the south, and went west (going left, of course)...

A stone door at the end of the west door leads to a room with one of the hags -- and several WEREWOLVES! A really tough fight, but we managed to wipe out the werewolves (Moradin's MOONBEAM turned some of 'em to human form, which helped a lot), and Io managed to grapple the hag -- moving her into the moonbeam! -- but she went ethereal as soon as she took damage. She collapsed the exit tunnel right before she left, so we had no way of getting back to the hearth room (or anywhere else)!

note that Avey contracted lycanthropy during the fight! (Full Moon in four days...)

Since we were trapped in her quarters, we looted the hag's stuff: 30 platinum pieces, 500gp in gold dust, some spell components, and found a jar with an eyeball in it (there's a holy symbol of Fraithu at the bottom) -- which detects as magical.

(The "Eye of the Cleric" detects undead within 100' -- by twitching around looking for the undead).

We set about the task of digging our way out, but even with Moradin repeatedly turning into giant badger and digging, it took us the rest of the day to tunnel our way to the hearth room! When we finally got through, we found the kettle tipped over -- and Io's rope is gone! (thus we cannot easily climb back up to the room where we battled the oni...)

The gnome scouted the north passage from the hearth room: a corridor leading to a shaft going up.

To the east, a curving passage ends in a door. Breeching the door -- hoping to eradicate a hag before the day ends -- we found ourselves in a room full of webs and ettercaps. Both hags were in the room beyond. While the paladin went about smacking ettercaps, the rest of the party rushed through and managed to destroy one of the hags -- the other promptly went ethereal (of course).

With some effort (since the rope Io left had been moved), we managed to climb back up the way we came, returning to the room where we battled the oni early this morning; we finally rested up from our long day of combat and tunneling. LONG REST

DAY 83 (rainy day)

Argent's dreams were haunted by the hag -- so now he has a level of exhustion...

After our morning Starbrew (the last we have), we investigated the shaft going up at the end of the north corridor: at the top of the shaft, a heavy trap door leads outside (into the rain). We returned to the hobbit and human encampments, but all the men and all the hobbits have bugged out.

We WIND-WALKED and raced to track down the caravans; within just a few minutes, we came across the humans, jammed up behind the massive hobbit convoy. No sign of the rope-maker hag -- so Avey cast Detect Magic and scanned around for a Heart-stone-type magic signature, but it was not in range.

We need to kill the last hag! We pondered the nature of Hags: we know they are vindictive (and very competitive with their sisters), but they genuinely seek knowledge. Maybe we can use that somehow. The main problem is they tend to escape by going ethereal...

Io and Moradin spent part of the day collecting Starbrew beans -- finding 14 more doses.

Standing in the mid-morning rain, we plotted the demise of the other hag: the anti-magic dirt factored heavily into our scheme. we spent a few hours traveling (via Wind Walk) to the anti-magic desert, collecting three-quarters-of-a-pound each per trip for 6 trips. Avey purchased a 5gp chest -- and a 40gp superior (DC=25) lock -- to hold 30lbs (or up to 12 cubic feet) of the anti-magic dirt. We decided to store the chest on a table in Io's room (the 15' radius extends 10' past the floor, so somebody standing directly underneath in the tavern below (15' ceiling) has their head in the field), to keep Io's ex-girlfriend away...

By the time we returned to the hag's lair (3:30 in the afternoon) the rain had abated -- but we could still easily spot fresh boot-tracks in the wet earth outside both entrances. At least 9 baddies have been brought in (probably more lycanthropes).

Moradin lead the way down the back entrance, and all but Io left their bag of anti-magic dirt at the base of the ladder. Nothing was waiting for us, and we were unassailed all the way to the hearth room. As Moradin approached the spider/ettercap room, we heard squeaking in there -- until Argent's squeaky boots alerted them...

We ran in and wiped out 9 were-rats; the hag was there, but remained ethereal the entire fight; Argent activated his ring of blinking and spotted her -- receiving several Magic Missiles for his trouble...

We got a total of 45gp from the dead were-rats. (9gp each for each party member -- see below)

We did another LONG REST in the oni room -- each of us adjacent to anti-magic dust for protection. The hag appeared on first watch! As she leaned in to give our paladin more bad dreams, she hit the anti-magic field: Io managed to grab her, and Tag pilfered her heartstone -- then Io maintained his grapple while the rest of the party destroyed her!

Argent finally completed a Long Rest!

day 84 (nice day)

After our morning Starbrew (we have 11 left), we Wind Walked to catch up with the hobbits, and convinced 'em it was safe to return to their homestead sites.

Returning to Port Harbor, Avey and Moradin reported to Inya at the temple of Damina -- and was strongly admonished for revealing the presence of hags to the general public! Also, that temple doesn't have anyone who can cast Greater Restoration, but they know Brother Ely at Cwamin's temple can heal the lingering effects of the hag's dreams.

Io took the anti-magic dirt back to the chest in his room -- keeping a half-pound pouch on his person. He made a quick errand to buy 3 Healing Potions, then busied himself with Sterling Edge's guild business...

Moradin subsequently went to the Grey Hooves, got a mission to deliver the horrible tome (with pages made of pox'd human skin) to Gwynn the Farsighted (at Ravishing Barmaid). Rather than deliver the book right away, he stored it in the anti-magic chest in Io's room, then they went to see Brother Ely. Ely *could* fix their lost hit points, but demanded they first locate and deliver a missing tome used to train acolytes of Cwamin -- and from it's description we know it is the very book stored in the chest in Io's room!!

Io is against delivering the evil thing to Gwynn -- stolen property should be returned to its rightful owner! The two party members that need Greater Restoration should feel the same way, but Moradin wants to complete his mission for the Grey Hooves...

Io did another loot distribution: selling the gold dust found in the hag's lair for platinum coins, then distributing along with the other platinum coins we found there -- and 45gp from the were-rats --each party member gets 16 platinum coins and 9gp
we also have a funny magic disk, and 2 heartstones...

final plan: Avey infiltrated Ravishing Barmaid early; Io and Argent hung around outside the front door; gnome hid nearby; Moradin delivered package (wrapped book) -- cue for Io and Argent to argue! If she left via the front door, Argent would push Io into her, with Tag swapping the book for look-a-like package in the ensuing chaos.

Gwynn refused delivery at first! Moradin decided not to use his real name, for some reason -- and the hobbit heard her mention that some guy she didn't know came by, she's still waiting for "Moradin"...

Tag convinced Moradin to go back and deliver the book. He still didn't give his real name -- made up some story about Moradin being too sick. Delivery accomplished, Moradin left through the kitchen; she just sat there for over an hour. Then her 1/2-elf cohort departed with the package -- two goons taking up protective positions on his flanks -- with Avey trailing him. The 1/2-elf went to a shack in the red light district, and his goons stayed outside.

Avey told Io that Akra was in there -- Io knows the succubus cannot get that book! Also, Argent detected a succubus in one of the other red-light district shacks. Combat ensued...Io managed to grab the package with the book, and Avey used Cloak of the Mountebank to get us out of there!

During this time, the Argent basically incited a riot, then agreed to depart and return for the succubus tomorrow.

We returned the book to Brother Ely: he Greaterly Restored Moradin and Argent immediately.

LONG REST

S&S day 85 (bright and sunny)

After our morning Starbrew (8 doses left), we went to the temple of Damina, arranged for hag victims to get their healing; whilst there, we mentioned succubus in the ho-huts. Next, we went to temple of Fraithu, to report the succubus to the bastalla. A lot of the other rioters were there; Io apologized to the thug he shoved with his shield.

Io was sentenced to 2 days of HARD LABOR -- breaking his addiction to Starbrew. Argent kept the faith, and broke rocks with Io.

Moradin scrounged up another 16 doses of Starbrew (24 doses now).

During the night, Brother Ely came by Thorne's Abode to visit Avey: we looked exhausted...he had a vision quest for us. He commissioned Sterling Edge to find a splinter group of Cwamin worshippers that had become powerful undead. They have a domed sanctum somewhere south of Port Harbor. He also recommended one of us become an acolyte of Cwamin, review one of their tomes, and learn more about undead.

LONG REST (not for Io)

S&S days 86 and 87 (both sunny days)
hard labor -- in the hot sun -- for the two dragonborn; the rest of the party took a few days off.

S&S day 88 (sunny and hot)

Io and Argent were finally released, then briefed on the mission Brother Ely put forth. The gnome snuck off to study the ways of Cwamin with Brother Ely; he now has special powers vs undead...

Avey visited Bother Ely, got our 3,000gp advance -- which we are considering a party fund...

The party took 11 days off: well, not really off -- the casters in the party worked hard crafting some magic weapons. A +1 shortbow for Tag, (Io got Tag's +2 dagger!), and +1 melee weapons for the cleric and paladin. Not being a caster, Io spent the time catching up on the affairs of Sterling Edge.

During this time, a pair of businessmen (Val and Kimmer) came by looking for high-end business partners for a sort of association for inns and taverns; Io didn't want to dismiss them outright, so he said he would consider the idea -- but it seems likely additional involvment in such a thing might draw unwanted attention to our dealings with the princess...

Also, Io visited Leckerton, and loaned him a 50gp pearl to get him to cast Identify on Io's +2 Shield: it has a curse that doubles crit damage taken by the bearer!

On S&S day 100 (sunny day), we finally set out to quell the undead threat Brother Ely told us about...as we wind-walked, we once again spotted the dragon way off to the south...we easily spotted the reflection off the huge shiny dome...on closer inspection, we see dirt has drifted against much of the dome's lower portion -- but the dirt is very low on the south side, where there's a lee from the northerly wind...a mosaic of giant beetles digging at the earth (symbology used by Cwamin) is exposed surrounding the base...

Argent found a jiggly (loose) stone panel in the dome's lower wall (where the absence of piled dirt revealed lower panels of the dome); a digging beetle is drawn on the mural here...

Argent pushed on the loose panel until it cracked -- a bit of the panel broke off, providing a small hole to peer through: on the other side is a corridor. Avey busted up the rest of the panel, giving us a 4x4 entry into the dome, with a 2' step down to the stone floor of the corridor. The inner wall of the corridor has lines suggesting dirt, with occasional bones depicted as being buried in the dirt. Despite Io's suggesting to always go left, we went right (following the directions the beetles are facing on the wall outside).

This corridor completes a full loop around the dome -- with NO doors! SO, Avey tapped the wall as we proceeded around a 2nd time, finding a hollow when we were a quarter of the way around (east); we looped again, finding no other evidence of breaks in the solid walls. Pushing the panel in, it slid down into a slot -- revealing a room with 9 capstones (for vertical burial plots), arranged in a square (3 rows of 3). Mosaic continues here, with image of a massive beetle covering most of the floor.

Avey took 10 minutes for a ritual to cast Detect Magic (Io ran around the outer corridor, the rest examined the room in more detail): two of the headstones detect as magical. Avey lifted one -- a wooden box, 2' square and 3' long (typical Cwamin casket), with a handle.

A dozen specters emerged from the floor...Tag managed to control one of 'em -- Steve", apparently. The paladin found Tag's ability to control undead very disturbing: is the gnome a necromancer?!? That does not seem compatible with the party's values...

The gnome and the dragonborn had a little chat about that power after the fight, and came to a rough understanding.

Moradin pulled one of the caskets out, and looked in: among the bones, a small pouch with 50 platinum (10pp each). We opened the remaining capstones: some had treasure, some didn't -- including a bag of 5 sapphire gemstones (50gp each, one for each of us), and 300coppers (60cp each)..

One of the capstone had a shaft leading down, instead of remains. We put all the other caskets and capstones back in order, then looked down the shaft; we had to lower the Driftglobe on a rope to determine a sandy floor about 90' down. Then we lowered the gnome...

The gnome arrived near the corner of a very large, square greathall, with archways in two of the walls; several stone statue-like things standing around seem to be postured naturally around the floor. One is a guy in robes standing at attention, the next is same guy bloated, then decaying, then skeleton -- phases of post-burial decay. Through one of the archways, a room with a large sculpture of the same guy standing with a large sword wound in his chest, agonizing pain on his face, holding a basin such that blood from the wound would collect in the basin. The other archway had a room with numerous sealed urns.

We tied together enough rope to get everyone down safely. Then Avey took 10 minutes for another Detect Magic ritual; Io drank 3 of his 4 Healing potions during this time. The larger statue has evocation on it, as does the space in front of it (there's a tight seam there); 5 of the 20 urns have magic on them, mostly evocation -- with one having both evocation and enchantment...

Opening the urns, we found plenty of dust-and-bone remains -- and some treasure: a big stone sword, enough treasure that we each get 30gp and a ruby (worth 30gp), and a magic ring); the gnome snagged the magic ring.

Moradin took the stone sword and checked the fit into the wound of the statue in the first room: bloodlike stuff flowed onto the enchanted plate in the floor in front of the statue -- which turned into spiral stairs!

Going down the spiral stairs, we descended 60' to a small chamber, with depictions of more beetles; a single stone door leads out into a hallway. Io wound up on point, and headed left on the hallway. The corridor turned right: a single stone door with a larger beetle surrounded by lots of smaller beetles. A fairly large room with some wooden desks and stools suggests a study or classroom, all left in ready order centuries ago. There's a doorway on the other side; Io opened it to find an office with a specter in it...this one has a special-looking amulet...once destroyed, the amulet fell to the ground and pulsed like a heart. Tag picked it up with no ill effect.

A door on the other side of the office leads to a dusty bedroom. (Io resumed his position in the back of the party...) A door from the bedroom leads to an ancient ensuite privy.

Continuing down the corridor, it turned right again: a door midway along lead to a balcony. We closed the door, made another right turn, and continued to a door to a stairwell (probably down to space below the balcony). We went back to the balcony, and looked down 60' to a greathall filled with animated skeletons; they appear to be praying to a larger skeleton walking among them, orating silently.

We took a SHORT REST for lunch; the party went back to the room at the bottom of the stairs -- except for Io, he stayed on the balcony and watched the scene below. Once he felt rested, he departed the balcony to inspire the others -- but he tripped on the doorway and alerted the crowd below! We wound up battling the skeletons in the hallway, but with the help of Avey's Turn Undead power, we were victorious. Tag picked up this big skeleton's amulet as well.

We went down the stairs and verified we can get into the big hall below; we also found a room with a sculpture depicting 3 skeletons emerging from the ground. We paused in the hall for an inspiring tale of military life, then entered: no reaction from the skeletons. Detailed examination revealed some wear on the vertebra of three skeletons (consistent with wearing amulets for many decades). We closed that door.

Continuing down the passage, we found some storage rooms of decaying gear, and some bunk ares with collapsed bunk beds -- 150gp total in the foot lockers (another 30gp each). the dining hall lead to a kitchen -- with a specter in it! Undead Chef Ramsey only lasted a couple of rounds...

Beyond the kitchen was a pantry, with a bedroom and a privy on either side of that; Detect Magic revealed an item in the dung heap at the bottom of the privy's hole. Tag used some of the magic dissecant to eliminate all the moisture from the coprolite heap, and Mage-Handed the amulet out -- commanding the fetal skeleton clutching the amulet to let it go (gross!).

We put the amulets on the 3 skeletons in the diorama, revealing the next passage down.

We ventured down the spiral stairs that were revealed when we put the last amulet on the sculpture of skeletons: a long, narrow passage with two doors. As we proceeded single file, numerous specters came out of the walls and attacked! Io promptly called for retreat (being as we had already been in 4 fights for the day), and headed back up the spiral stairs. More specters came and blocked movement (forward of back) -- and completely surrounded Io in the room upstairs. Argent was doing a pretty good job of wiping out specters, and called the party forward (countermanding Io's retreat order). Then 3 ghosts appeared: although Argent promptly destroyed 2 of 'em, the 3rd ghost possessed Avey; once the possessed dwarf attacked Argent, the paladin cast Protection from Good and Evil -- the ghost was immediately ejected from Avey's body, and was promptly destroyed.

Tag wandered downstairs while the rest of the party rallied around Io upstairs (Avey cast Prayer of Healing). The gnome discovered some barracks, and a bone sorting room -- bins with femurs, tibias, fibias, humerous bones, and ulnas; beyond that was some kind of crafting facility. He gound 200gp in the barracks. Once Tag finally returned to the party, we went all the way back up and outside. We took the afternoon off...

LONG REST here. Tag determined that the ring he found is a Ring of the Ram.

S&S day 101

Returning to the bottom, we proceeded to the end of the narrow passage: a large room entirely spanned by a perfectly clear pool of water (except for a narrow wooden ledge); the surface is about 10' down -- luckily, Avey had prayed for Water Walking for the day: so he cast it as a ritual, and we were all able to walk on the surface of the pool. When the gnome used Mage Hand to explore the sediment at the bottom of the pool, he discovered there are some kind of tiny, wormlike undead things -- that fly! One shot out and tried to attack the gnome, but he dodged and it flew right past.

The next room had two rows of four circular shafts, each about 7' across, with water at the bottom. Two of them had skeletal remains. It is extremely cold in here -- there's a sheen of ice on portions of the wall here.

The next room beyond is SUPER COLD! When Argent opened the door, a blast of cold air came into the already very chilly room with the 8 shafts. A square column in the middle of the super-cold room doesn't quite make it to the ceiling, and 3 archway nooks on either side of the room have racks of corpses in 'em; there's also a door at the end other of the room. Everything is encrusted in ice. There are some footprints here: a set of shod boots, and a set from smaller feet. The center column radiates the extreme cold...Avey did another ritual for Detect Magic, and determined that inside there may be another one of those orbs we've found in the past. It is too cold for most of the party to stay long, although Io's and Argent's white dragon heritage made it bearable for them.

Using Mage Hand, Tag carried the Orb of Freezing back to the room with the clear pool of water: we set it on the ledge there, so it can freeze the pool. During this time, Moradin thouroughly examined the bodies in the archways: the victims died of blunt trauma, and were then prepared in some ritualistic ways. Argent dumped all the bodies in the pool -- if the orb works the way we expect, they'll be frozen in!

Going through the door on the other end of the icebox room, a passage led to some stairs going down ; signs of battle here -- including a ridiculous amount of blood splatter, and sword nicks in the walls. Down the stairs, a large room -- with even more super-splatter of blood, a 40' high ledge in one corner -- and some fleshy evil golems...after we battled the golems for a couple of rounds, some guy on the high ledge released a few nasty undead Cwamin specials...we had a hell of a fight!! Moradin nailed the guy high up on the ledge with Moonbeam, and he disappeared through a doorway.

The guy on top had a panel of three buttons: evidently, he pushed the one that released the specials and skeedaddled. We discovered that another button rolls out some bleachers in the room below.

The first button we pushed opened the escape door: a passage leading to an archway. Beyond, we saw a marble hall with a fountain -- and that guy from the ledge resting in there. Io promptly ran in and killed that guy -- then breathed his icy breath on the worms in his tummy! With the worms exterminated, Io looked around: there are several closed-off alcoves in here. A panel with four buttons was discovered on the other side of the fountain. Moradin, in giant spider form, webbed two of the alcoves shut, then Tag pressed one of the buttons: one alcove opened, leading to a passage...

S&S 101 (continued): The passage we discovered is filled with *magical* darkness -- darkvision no worky. A rythmic thumping sounds out of the darkness...

Avey did another ritual for Detect Magic: during this time, Io examined various bodies -- they all have those disgusting flying worms! The darkness verified as magical, of course. We opened another alcove; the door dropped down revealing another onyx-stone passage (no darkness in this one). Within, a fresco depicts undead armies marching into what looks like a sun -- but the sun is depicted on the ground, where the armies can enter it. The other walls are black onyx, with seams of some sort. There's an secret door in the depicition of the sun; a button here drops that door, revealing another room.

The new room lead us to a very large room, with giant doors across the way -- flanked by two wights in suits of armor; a pedestal with gold sconce (similar to the super-cold pedestal we encountered yesterday) sits on the edge of a large cirlce on the floor. The walls are smooth black stone. The wights just stood there, so we closed the door -- then Moradin (still in giant spider form) webbed it over.

The last alcove leads to another very large room that smelled of incense (similar to the temple of Cwamin in Port Harbor); the room is very clean and well-maintained. A huge mosiac of a black-and-grey beetle on the wall faces an archway; the floor is designed so it looks like walking through a field bones; before we entered, Avey detected that there is magic on a pair of separate regular doors on the other side of the room...

Our dwarf examined the archway: a chapel with several rows of pews lies beyond, sitting before an altar with *four* Flaming Skulls hovering nearby. The combat that ensued was fraught with Fireballs!

Tag happened to know that Flaming Skulls reform, so after we pulverized the skulls, we scooped up the skull-dust and went down to the room where the golems and Cwamin Specials came out of four alcoves. We put one quarter of the skull dust in each alcove, and sealed the alcoves.

Back in the room outside the chapel, We placed the pouches of anti-magic field dust outside each if the two seperate doors (in case of magical Symbols), read the labels: one is a priest's sanctuary, the other an acolyte's sanctuary.

SHORT REST HERE!

After lunch, we prepared to open the priest's sanctuary by putting the pouches of anti-magic dust by the door; Io burst through the door to find 2 wights and an Evil High Priest (black&purple skin, enlarged freaky-looking mouth) were waiting for us!

In the EHP's quarters, we found an ornate cage of gold filigree worth 250gp (made by same guy that made sconces?); a set of pan pipes (magical?); a hat; and a cloak..also, a bag with 25gp in it....

We did the same anti-magic dust trick before bursting into the acolyte's chamber: FOUR wights, and a different kind of EHP, were waiting for us...

We found a lovely (and valuable) symbol of Cwamin for tag, *fourteen* gemstones worth 50gp each, and a potion.

After all the tough fights we've already been through, we decided to go outside and rest -- but a friendly (and short) half-wight lady intercepted us, and talked us into visiting her "mistress"...she lead us through that darkness zone we saw earlier, to a room with more seamed onyx. The thumping appears to coming through the walls. She lead us through a door, through a nice sitting room, and into a nice clean room with four bed chambers adjacent to it. She said her mistress would be along shortly, and left to fetch some refreshments. Tag and Io wrestled over the biggest bed for a bit, but Tag gave Io the Ring of the Ram, and Io went to the 2nd-largest bed.

While we waited for our refreshments, Avey found a chink in the onyx wall. He busted it open a bit, and peered through to see a Cwamin-worshipper imprisoned behind the wall; he turned against this sect of Cwamin, and was imprisoned as a heretic here. He wants to be released!.

Our hostess returned, with "Misha" -- another friendly (and short) wight tagging along. The party asked Misha for some details about her mistress (while Io napped): Ehthra -- mistress of this temple -- has invited us to dinner. Tag charmed Misha, and learned the truth: we must join the army of dead-ites after dinner, or be imprisoned...

Misha believes that Ehthra is invincible as long as the other masters live -- but we may have already dispatched them, when we killed the two EHPs! Misha believes their destruction may increase Ehthra's power, but leave her vulnerable to death. Misha offered to show us the mighty army that Ehthra has aleady built up.

While Tag interrogated Misha, Avey checked our egress route: there is now a wall in the darkness zone -- no way out that way! We'll probably have to use the Staff of Gracious Movement to get out of here...

Io managed to finish his SHORT REST! He attuned to his new Ring of The Ram. The other items are: Cloak of Elvenkind, Pipes of the Sewers, Hat of Disquise; and a Potion of Mind Reading.